Tuesday, July 08, 2008 Exec to Davao SMEs: Cater to bigger market By Joy Romares-Sevilla
THE director of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development (Smed) Center said they are working a set of guidelines for potential small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Davao Region that can produce bigger volume of products, which can be exported to other countries.
Smed Center director Guillermo Prat said in Monday's interview that they are planning to organize a team that can set these guidelines.
"The idea is to bring people/enterprises together to produce bigger volume of products which can be exported to other countries. We received queries from Australia and Singapore if we can supply and provide them peanuts and banana chips," Prat said.
Prat said that with this idea, the center hopes that they can move up the standards of products produce in the region and cater to a bigger market.
"We have to move out of Davao. If we are only supplying each other here, then what money will be added to the local economy," he added.
Prat said they are targeting to tap food processors to bring up the standard of what is acceptable to other markets.
Meanwhile, he said they will also intensify the advocacy on the Davao Branding System.
The system aims to accelerate the quality of products produce in Davao City.
"We continue with the advocacy on the Davao Branding. As of now, there are around eight to 10 qualified companies which were already given the quality seal of excellence," he said.
As to the week-long celebration of the Smed week, which was also opened simultaneously in other regions in the country, Prat said there will be a series of trainings and fora intended for the SMEs. A trade fair was also set at the NCCC Mall, a venue for SMEs to showcase their products and services.
On the other hand, Leny Castillo, executive vice president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII), said for the past nine years that DCCCII celebrates the MSME Development Week, the event goes bigger and bigger.
"This event is for MSMEs, they made significant contribution to the country's economy, considering the fact that more than 99 percent of the enterprises in the country is composed of SMEs," Castillo said.
