The companies have to find their target-markets

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"The companies have to find their target-markets"

Luís Vieira - State Secretary for Agriculture

In a market each time more global, it falls to Portuguese companies of the food and beverage sector "to find the markets where they'll be really able to have a better reception for placing their products". These are the words of State Secretary for Agriculture at the opening session of XIIth SISAB. To support the businessmen that have already chosen their strategy of internationalization, Luís Vieira promised the funds intended in the following Community Framework for State aid: two billion euros of public aid, that, as he stated, "may provoke an investment of 3,5 billion euros".

You stressed that this is an important sector. Is this a sector where the Government plans to invest more?

The food and beverage products' sector is extremely important and has been giving significant steps. In terms of export, it grew 11 per cent during the last year. It's not only traditional products, the products' range is quite diversified and it clearly shows an export dynamics existing. Our businessmen start to understand that it's necessary to have ambitions. We have products of high quality that, in the global market, have the capacity to compete, and this is what our businessmen are really verifying.

For example, the wine sector has been showing great dynamics; in terms of wine we export around 533 million euros. And now it's not only Ports that represent some 60 per cent, but also table wines, regional and of denomination of origin, already represent 40 per cent of export. The olive oil sector grew around 25 per cent in the last year. I'm sure that, if our businessmen continue to acknowledge the necessity of this ambition, we'll be able to increase these numbers.

In your opinion, what else is necessary for Portuguese products to grow more in terms of export?

One of strong bets in the following Community Framework for State aid, that covers the period from 2007 until 2013, is the reinforcement of competitiveness of Portuguese companies. This is our bet. For the reinforcement of competitiveness, we'll have around two billion euros of public aid that may provoke an investment of 3,5 million euros. This is a very significant amount that'll be used by our agricultural and food companies to give dynamism to their business, either through the growth of productiveness, or through improvement of quality, innovation, diversification and internationalization of these companies.

On the other hand, we'll create a set of mechanisms directed to those unattainable aids that lead to redimension of our companies, to innovation, to diversification of products, and to promotion, at the same time. We'll create a set of supports so that all those who has an export directed strategy, may find in financial aids mechanisms that'll permit them to find a way of competing in a sustainable mode.

Are there priority markets for this sector?

More than 500 importers from more than 50 countries are present here (at SISAB). The market is the global market. The companies have to find their target-markets on their own. It falls to the companies to find markets, according to their internationalization strategy, where the best receptiveness for their products will be found. The markets are each time more global, and our products are each time more present, not only in community market, but also in third countries' markets. The PALOP's are here, Canada, United States, and China, there's a range of countries, besides the European Union, where we have to continue to mark our presence.

What role will such a Trade Fair have in this new perspective?

This Trade Fair has an extremely important role. It's good to find out the vast range of countries present that shows that business is made through this kind of activities. Meanwhile, we'll also favour the bet on internationalization of our companies. We'll support markets studies, logistics for a sustainable permanence in some countries - in those target-markets that each one of them has to establish. We want effectively to support the companies that have this internationalization strategy.

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