CITEM participants generate $278.2M in export sales

The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export trade promotions agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, reported yesterday that the 2,037 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and private corporations that joined its 38 trade promotion activities here and abroad generated $278.18 million in exports and P272.29 million in domestic returns.

Trade Assistant Secretary Fe Agoncillo-Reyes attributed this to the success of CITEM’s flagship programs including the International Food Exhibition Philippines (IFEX), National Trade Fair, e-Services Philippines, Manila FAME International, BIO-Search and Industry Link.

Agoncillo-Reyes said IFEX posted a 23 percent increase in export sales, with a 53 percent increase in foreign buyer attendance from 2004. Majority of the foreign buyers came from China, US, Italy, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

She said CITEM posted exceptional earnings from the National Trade Fair (NTF) which was held earlier this year at SM Megamall’s Megatrade Halls. Retail sales increased by 28 percent to P21.62 million from P16.9 million in 2004, while negotiated orders rose by 248 percent to P142.13 million from P40.9 million in 2004.

The fair’s top sellers include furniture and furnishings, gifts, home décor and houseware, fashion accessories, and processed food.

NTF was co-presented with other DTI provincial and regional offices and agencies such as the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) and the Philippine Design and Development Council of the Philippines (PDDCP).

e-Services Philippines, the venue of choice for the country’s major IT players, achieved an 718 percent increase in domestic sales and 50 percent increase in exports.

The industrial goods and services sectors were promoted in Industry Link.

The growth in export sales was further boosted by the CITEM-organized participation in various international trade shows for the different sectors.

Design-driven lifestyle products were promoted through CITEM-organized Philippine participation in INDEX (Dubai), Salone Internationale del Mobile (Italy), International Furniture Fair Tokyo, MACEF (Italy), Christmasworld (Germany), and Tokyo International Gift Show.

For the food sector, seven local companies backed by CITEM in the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) in Cologne, Germany registered $44 million worth of total negotiated orders. ISM is the leading fair for the global confectionery industry.

The Philippines also earned $5.07 million for its participation in Saudifood in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In IT- and IT-enabled services, the country’s IT and BPO capabilities were promoted in Europe through Cebit and Outsourceworld as well as in Asian markets through SODEC (Japan) and CommunicAsia (Singapore).

A trade mission to The Netherlands and UK where Philippine IT/BPO capability was promoted, likewise, generated favorable returns.

For the industrial sector, the Philippines through CITEM joined Coverings, a trade show for construction materials in the United States and Designbuild in Australia.

Trade and Industry Secretary Peter B. Favila lauded the accomplishments of CITEM and urged the agency to continue its positive performance.

"I am very encouraged by CITEM’s revenues last year and I am optimistic that 2006 will be a very good year for trade and selling missions by the Department especially those embarked by CITEM," Favila said.