Report on the participation in the South African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX) 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
The Wool & Woollens Export Promotion Council participated in South African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX) held in Johannesburg, South Africa during July 19-21, 2009 under Focus Africa Programme. Shri R. K. Gupta, Offtg. Executive Director led a delegation of six leading member-exporters of the Council for participation in the fair. Various woollen products ranging from shawls, stoles, sweaters, blankets, garments and made-ups etc. were displayed in the pavilion.
India’s corporate presence in South Africa has been growing with the recent investments in a range of Industries. South Africa is the gate way of African Continent and the business of the African Sub-continent is being transacted through this country.
India has been actively promoting trade with Africa in recent years. To boost the country’s trade with the Sub-Saharan African region, the Government of India launched the “Focus: Africa” programme. Trade between India and South Africa has been increasing significantly in various fields.
Event Profile & History:
The Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX) is a platform for trade across Africa and internationally. It is an import/export business and trade fair with exhibitors representing various industry sectors. This is the only multi-sectoral trade event in Southern Africa. The fair provides an ideal platform with unparalleled opportunities to the exhibitors to attract new customers in international markets and build global brand awareness.
Exhibitor profile of SAITEX:
Local and international manufacturers and exporters, distributors, importers, entrepreneurs, trade management service providers as well as government & investment agencies looking to penetrate the South African, African and/or the global market with a focus on expanding their current markets, participated in this event.
Visitor Profile:
Major agents, distributors, exporters and importers, key decision-makers, leading buyers, Trade Associations & Chambers and their members, industry leaders and influential business people with well established infrastructures and trade networks throughout Africa and the world, plus well positioned government officials visited the fair. The added value of conferences and workshops attracted a number of high quality visitors.
Council’s Pavilion
The Council pavilion was beautifully arranged with various woollen products and was very attractive. All types of publicity material etc. were displayed. Interested visitors/buyers were explained the processing of woollen products. Around 100 businessmen visited Council’s pavilion and placed their requirements. Participant-members expressed their satisfaction on the trade proposal/business negotiated during fair days. Trade enquiries worth Rs. 3 Crore approx. received by the participants as reported by them.
Southern African Customs Union
SACU is a Customs Union comprising Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland (the BLNS states) and South Africa. The agreement includes, among other things, the levying of uniform Customs and Excise Duties, free interchange of duty-paid goods imported from outside member countries. There are no duties payable on goods traded between SACU members. However, high import tariffs imposed on goods from imported from outside of SACU generally discourage the exporters.
Some suggestions
There is good market potential of woollen products in South Africa if promoted with adequate publicity and other promotional programmes will go a long way. Participation in such fairs in South Africa will definitely boost the export.
· South Africa offers foreign suppliers a wide variety of methods to distribute and sell their products. These include using an agent or distributor; selling through established wholesalers or dealers; selling directly to department stores or other retailers; or establishing a branch or subsidiary with its own sales force. When appointing a South African distributor, exporters should take care to find out if the distributor handles a competing product. Some exporters have been approached by major South African corporations whose holding companies market products which compete directly with their products.
· Understand the areas of need and high profit. Consult or get information about your business interest form the Chamber of Commerce, the Embassy, Business Consultants or traders.
· Develop a sound business and marketing strategy. Visit the location if you intend to establish a company or an outlet.
· Follow up on every arrangement to make sure that conditions and terms are fully understood and are being implemented.
· Arm yourself with a lot of patience and keep an open mind because communication and correspondence from Africa may not flow as smoothly or as fast as you may expect.
· Understand the cultural environment of the African country in which you intend to do business. Use a consultant, especially those that have a real understanding of Africa
· Lucrative as it may be, the African market is not without pitfalls. Keep your guard up and insist on cash transactions as far as possible.
· Establish direct contacts with your business counterparts in Africa by participating in trade fairs and exhibitions and add your company to the Advertising Section of the Africa Business Pages.
The following organization can offer advice on Commercial information:
High Commission of
India
852, Schoeman Street, Arcadia
Post Box No.40216,Pretoria, South Africa.
http://www.indiainsouthafrica.com/
Report on Council’s participation
in Copenhagen International Fashion Fair, Copenhagen, Denmark from 6th
to 9th August, 2009
With a view to penetrate further into the developed market of Denmark, a six member team of the Wool & Woollens Export Promotion Council participated in Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF) held in Copenhagen, Denmark from 6th to 9th of August, 2009. The participation had been planned with the objective to promote Indian companies and wool & wool blended products in Danish Market.
Five leading member-exporters participated in through the Council and displayed their latest symbolic range of wool & wool blended Sweaters, Cardigans, Readymade Garments, Shawls, Stoles, Made-ups etc.
About the Event:
CIFF is one of the most important fashion trade shows in Denmark and it is held every year in Bella Centre, in Copenhagen, also called as Copenhaven in local language. This trade show was started over 10 years ago, organized by Group of local textile and garment manufacturing entrepreneurs with the goal of providing the industry with a professional business platform in Denmark and the neighboring countries like Sweden, Norway and Germany. This show is held twice a year for 4 days, in Feb and August. It is specialized event for professional buyers. Foreign visitors come mainly from the United States, Spain, Portugal, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Panama, Argentina, Brazil, China, India and Pakistan.
About Copenhagen
Copenhagen, the premier capital of Northern Europe, is Scandinavia's most fantastic city and the centre of the most dynamic region in Europe, the Øresund Region. The city is one of Europe's oldest capitals with a royal touch - the monarchy in Denmark is the oldest in the world.
Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.
Member participants of WWEPC displayed their wide range of Wool & Wool Blended Products like Scarves, Shawls, Rumals and Knitwear etc. A large number of Retail Buyers, Agents and consumers visited the stalls. The quality of our products was greatly appreciated by the visitors to the Show. As informed by the participants, orders worth Rs. 10 Crores were booked during the fair. During the interaction of the Exhibitors with the visitors, a good number of trade enquiries were generated during the fair which are under negotiations.
To sum up, the Show was a great success and the participants as well as the Council’s Officer were of the view that repeated participation in the show should be ensured in coming years, in order to penetrate in to this vast untapped market of Latin American countries.
As a follow up, WWEPC should participate in the next edition of CIFF to be held in February next year, so that the business contacts initiated in this fair can be carried forward and renewed in the next version of this fair.
Recommendations:
Repeated participations should be organized in order to develop ourselves as a sincere and reliable outsourcing/supplying country.
Denmark acts as window to Scandinavian Region and by participating in CIFF, buyers/importers from not only Denmark but also from the neighboring countries can be targeted.
Danish being the official language in this region, Pamphlets/other publicity material published in Danish is a must for this region to give vide publicity to the products.
Help of Indian Embassy in Denmark can be taken for obtaining addresses of leading importers in Denmark and fixing up prior appointments with them.
Mode of payment should be irrevocable letter of credit or advance payment.
Due to cold weather conditions during most part of the year, woollens are in great demand and Indian exporters should focus their attention on woollens.