BELTRAIDE Launches 2nd Edition of Made in Belize Catalogue
The Made in Belize Catalogue was launched this morning by the trade and investment arm of the government. The magazine is a comprehensive directory of fifty local businesses and provides insight on a wide range of local goods. The publication is key in exposing businesses preparing to enter their products in the competitive regional and international export markets. Copies are being distributed at strategic points such as embassies and consulates of Belize. News Five’s Isani Cayetano has a report from the Belize Biltmore Plaza.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Across the country, there are a number of local businesses preparing for the export market, manufacturing various products to meet the often stringent requirements of supply and demand. The export readiness of at least fifty companies in seven industries is reflected in a promotional publication called the Made in Belize Catalogue.
Dr. Leroy Almendarez, Executive Director, BELTRAIDE
Dr. Leroy Almendarez
“Made in Belize simply means that we are looking at all those products, primarily products in this case, that are produced in Belize. And if you notice, because it’s Export Belize then we are talking about products that are potentially or can potentially be exported. And so everyone you see in here has come up with some product and these products are solely Belizean made products and it simply means then that it gives us that opportunity when we meet with our international partners to indicate to them that there are these products.”
Those items for consumption cover an array of locally made goods. Tracy Panton, Minister of State for Trade and Investment recently led a delegation to Taiwan where these products are also being marketed.
Tracy Panton
Tracy Panton, Minister of State, Trade & Investment
“We have a narrow basket of commodities that are export ready, but as narrow a basket as it is now, we believe that if we are able to promote excellent quality, I mean Belize is known for excellent quality goods. If we are able to find tools to promote these commodities we would have a wider variety of commodities available for export. That’s really the bottom line. Sometimes these catalogs get to market before we can physically get there and it starts to stimulate interest and opens up the dialogue so that we can be exporting more and hopefully helping to support in meaningful ways the Belizean productive sector.”
The Made In Belize Catalog is an important promotional magazine to be used at trade shows, missions, as well as promotional events around the world that provide potential buyers with a glimpse of products that Belize has to offer.
Shahera McKoy, Manager, Export Belize, BELTRAIDE
“Today we had the launch of the Made in Belize Catalog and we provided some hard copies, but we want to take advantage of the use of technology and so we have the electronic version and what we’re kind of highlighting today, in addition to those places that we are physically able to visit and go, you know, we are able to send this catalog to countries that we’re not able to physically go but that there is interest.”
It is the foremost means of supporting BELTRAIDE’s export promotion efforts, and the directory is shared at embassies, consulates, distributors and other international agencies.
Dr. Leroy Almendarez
“The other important aspect of it of course is, we always say produce locally but think globally which simply means then that those countries that might want to import your products, they also have procedures that we must comply with and so our team at Export Belize works along with them to ensure that, you know, these are the procedures that are necessary and any gaps that exist they can help to fill those gaps in order to ensure that their products meet those standards that would allow them entry into a market because we have global access to markets, the question is whether your products can enter.”
Isani Cayetano reporting for News Five.
