PhilExport-Cebu to release SEMP budget by Jan 2010

CEBU, Philippines - PhilExport-Cebu will release the Sector Export Marketing Plan (SEMP) budget of P20 million to its members by January of 2010, to prepare exporters for the anticipated market rebound.

The SEMP, which will be developed by foreign and local experts in the export industry, with the support of CBI-Netherlands, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), will provide an intensive marketing plan for the identified priority sectors like seaweed, health and wellness, fashion accessories, furniture, and gifts-toys-housewares.

“We will go into analyzing seriously the export value chain, and come up with market-entry strategies to provide exporters better and wide understanding of the whole value chain process of the sector,” said PhilExport-Cebu executive director Fred Escalona.

CBI-Netherlands has committed to deploy experts on this project, and work hand in hand with the local-export-experts here, he said.

With this, which will serve as a blueprint for exporters from different sectors, Escalona said players can now establish their own research and development (R&D) team to focus on the market intelligence, and development of products for the right market.

All member companies of PhilExport can draw their own market intelligence through the SEMP blueprint with the help of local experts.

According to Escalona, while the market is now showing signs of recovery, exporters should also be wiser now, as competition is expected to be much tougher.

Providing them with comprehensive market intelligence, and expertise’s advice and technical guidance, will help export players recover its lost market, and even expand their reach to emerging countries.

“What is important is—exporters should know the right product to the right market,” he stressed.

Each market needs different type of products. Or the same market may not have the old preference of product interest, as trends are moving so fast, exporters especially those in fashion and home furnishings should trailblaze with the market.

Effective marketing intelligence is very important to stay competitive in the very difficult market competition, Escalona said.

Next month, a group of experts from Netherlands will come to Cebu to start-up with this SEMP project, together with the registered local-export-experts here.

PhilExport-Cebu will help the identified priority sectors to put up their own technical group, to work with the experts, he added.

Escalona hopes that with the profound indication of a recovering market especially in the United States, as well as Europe, there will be no more export companies to declare closures, or retrenchments. However, he hopes as the companies are getting increased orders, additional hiring of manpower may be expected in the next few months.