Seoul, South Korea – A Jamaican delegation will be promoting Jamaican fresh produce (and related value added products) for export at the Korea Importers Association’s (KOIMA) 13th Import Goods Fair held in Seoul, South Korea on June 4-6, 2015. The Jamaican delegation, which includes IRIE Rock Yaad Spa, Southside Distributors Limited, HoneyKist Apiaries Limited, Central food Packers, Tijule Limited and JAMPRO, are participating in the event due to Korean interest in tropical fruit products and other Jamaican fresh produce.
The manufacturers seek to use the Import Goods Fair, which is the only Import-Centered Exhibition in Korea, to facilitate meetings with large Korean supermarkets and distributors and hundreds of consumers attending the event. The event has a strong focus on providing a platform for companies participating, to be able to link with suitable business partners.
Currently, Jamaica exports coffee, rum and spirits, aluminum, electrical parts of machinery, coffee, sauces and other products to South Korea. JAMPRO aims to diversify the country’s exports to South Korea, as the agency has identified demand for Jamaican fresh produce, exotic fruits and juices and other Jamaican value-added products in East Asia.
Claude Duncan, Vice President of Investment Promotion at JAMPRO says the agency’s Asian market penetration strategy has been taking flight, “Based on our continued efforts to build awareness around Jamaica as an investment destination and home to great products, we have seen an increase in interest coming from the Asian region for products and investments. We will ardently pursue these opportunities and provide the capacity building assistance Jamaican companies require to meet the demand for Jamaican products,” he said.
JAMPRO has noted that many small to medium sized exporters need intense support to improve their competitiveness in the global market. The agency partnered with the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) to execute the FINPYME ExportPlus Jamaica programme last year, which provided capacity building workshops and individual technical assistance to participating local exporters. The partnership was re-initiated with IIC and the entity provided financial support for four FINPYME companies to participate in the trade mission to South Korea.
Duncan explained that, “With this assistance from our partners, Jamaican companies will be able to improve their export readiness for markets such as South Korea. We are pleased with the companies’ development and look forward to the positive results of this trade mission.”
For more information on JAMPRO’s programmes for international market development, please visit https://www.tradeandinvestjamaica.org .
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