Handicraft exporters gear up for European market

MANILA, Philippines - Local handicraft exporters are eyeing Belgium, Germany, Spain and Amsterdam as key distribution channels to ship their products to other nearby European countries.

Salvio Valenzuela Jr., executive director of the Philippine Chamber of Handicraft Industries Inc. (PCHI), expressed optimism that the country’s handicraft products could penetrate several countries in Europe.

Valenzuela cited various efforts of industry players to address price problem.

“They are willing to adjust their prices to tap more importers. Exporters can adjust these through the use of alternative materials and develop custom designs,” he said.

Valenzuela said exporters indicated they would match their product attributes to meet the buyers’ need during the recent special presentation of seasonal and home décor products for the Belgian importers held here.

Delfin Bibat, former Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines (FOBAP) director and country manager of Southgate Ltd. (The Connor Group), earlier asked exporters to also consider product simplification and production volume discounts in order to make their prices competitive.

Aside from being a major trend, product simplification lowers cost, he said.

Moreover, Valenzuela said under the chamber’s export development program, handicraft exporters including the micro companies target to penetrate several alternative markets this year. 

“We eye Japan in July and South America in August. South America is one of the emerging markets now; majority of our buyers of handicrafts now come from Peru, Brazil, Chile and Argentina,” he said.

Valenzuela said Asian countries are another alternative markets.