Showcasing export products
Thursday, 3 January 2008
THE Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) was inaugurated on Tuesday with the usual enthusiasm. It has been a regular annual feature since the first holding of this exhibition twelve years ago. Every year the fair plays an important part in showcasing Bangladeshi products for foreign and local buyers. But not many foreign buyers are seen visiting the fair and it has remained more of an annual event for the local buyers. However, the fair offers an opportunity to establish contacts between foreign buyers and local producers of goods such as garments, ceramic products, etc.
Thus, DITF has an enduring value and it needs to be organised better and better every time as a major showcasing of Bangladesh's export products. The country's export products need to diversify and to this end putting them on direct display for foreign buyers can be a more effective way than others in promoting them in international markets. Nothing works better than first hand exposition of export products among potential buyers. The annual organisation of the DITF needs to be geared with this aim in view so that it can include the growing number of specially unconventional products from Bangladesh for visualising by a greater number of buyers.
Not only the DITF, Bangladesh needs to draw up a strategy of participation in international trade fairs as a cornerstone of its policies to export more. This has become imperative more so in the context of its export decline in recent months. As it is, the country's participation in trade fairs round the world, are not many. Its limited participation is considered as one of the major reasons for the failure to make known its products to the buyers. Thus, this gap needs to be addressed with appropriate policies. The relevant ministries need to concert their activities, pool together their resources and work under a neatly drawn up plan to increase participation in international trade fairs. But such participation must be truly well planned to get maximum value from the same. At the same time, efforts do need to be geared up to help diversify the country's export base in order to exploit the comparative cost advantages in relevant sectors.
Meanwhile, it is to be noted that participation by Bangladesh in international trade fairs outside the country usually degenerate into trips by inefficient officials who spend their time in shopping in foreign countries than promoting the trade interests of the country. Cases were reported when such officials were not even found in the Bangladeshi pavilions in the fair grounds. Therefore, it needs to be ensured that on the plea of greater participation, resources are not wasted and returns can be optimum from the ventures. Besides, not only participation in fairs abroad, planning should be directed towards also holding Bangladesh's own single country fairs in host countries. But in these endeavours also, the processes must be guided by realism, cost-benefits analysis and related factors.
Bangladeshi missions round the world need to be involved fully in the participation of Bangladesh in the international trade fairs and in the holding of single country exhibits. Presently, the staff in the missions are little oriented or trained in many cases to play their supportive role or in taking the initiative in these matters. Thus, an important part of showcasing our products abroad will call for more dynamic activities by the missions and concrete steps will have to be taken towards this end.
Thus, DITF has an enduring value and it needs to be organised better and better every time as a major showcasing of Bangladesh's export products. The country's export products need to diversify and to this end putting them on direct display for foreign buyers can be a more effective way than others in promoting them in international markets. Nothing works better than first hand exposition of export products among potential buyers. The annual organisation of the DITF needs to be geared with this aim in view so that it can include the growing number of specially unconventional products from Bangladesh for visualising by a greater number of buyers.
Not only the DITF, Bangladesh needs to draw up a strategy of participation in international trade fairs as a cornerstone of its policies to export more. This has become imperative more so in the context of its export decline in recent months. As it is, the country's participation in trade fairs round the world, are not many. Its limited participation is considered as one of the major reasons for the failure to make known its products to the buyers. Thus, this gap needs to be addressed with appropriate policies. The relevant ministries need to concert their activities, pool together their resources and work under a neatly drawn up plan to increase participation in international trade fairs. But such participation must be truly well planned to get maximum value from the same. At the same time, efforts do need to be geared up to help diversify the country's export base in order to exploit the comparative cost advantages in relevant sectors.
Meanwhile, it is to be noted that participation by Bangladesh in international trade fairs outside the country usually degenerate into trips by inefficient officials who spend their time in shopping in foreign countries than promoting the trade interests of the country. Cases were reported when such officials were not even found in the Bangladeshi pavilions in the fair grounds. Therefore, it needs to be ensured that on the plea of greater participation, resources are not wasted and returns can be optimum from the ventures. Besides, not only participation in fairs abroad, planning should be directed towards also holding Bangladesh's own single country fairs in host countries. But in these endeavours also, the processes must be guided by realism, cost-benefits analysis and related factors.
Bangladeshi missions round the world need to be involved fully in the participation of Bangladesh in the international trade fairs and in the holding of single country exhibits. Presently, the staff in the missions are little oriented or trained in many cases to play their supportive role or in taking the initiative in these matters. Thus, an important part of showcasing our products abroad will call for more dynamic activities by the missions and concrete steps will have to be taken towards this end.