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An alumni survey conducted at
the end of 2014 revealed that of
the 50 BSOs surveyed, 72% were
satisfied with the trade and business
intelligence services provided by
Caribbean Export, and that Caribbean
Export has contributed to 53% of
their client firms being able to access
new markets through the market
intelligence received.
In-Market Research and Profiling
Mission to Cuba
Within the framework of the 10th
EDF RPSDP and the Haiti-Dominican
Republic Bi-National Programme,
Caribbean Export undertook an in-
market research and profiling mission
to Cuba from September 14-16, 2015.
The objective of the mission was to
gather information on the current
opportunities in the Cuban market for
regional exporters under the current
trading environment. In particular, the
mission was designed to extrapolate
qualitative information from key
in market sources that support
commerce, and the entities involved in
the commercial sector.
Information was gathered as it
relates to: the nature and volume of
trade with Cuba; common business
practices in the country; market access
issues; best practice examples of
accessing the Cuban market; export
facilitation support need to access
the market; standards and packaging
requirements; sectors or products that
are forecasted to have major growth
in the short, medium and long term,
changing consumer consumption
patterns of Cubans and the complimentary regional products in supplying these
tastes; major supply markets; sub-regions and cities in Cuba with the greatest
potential of regional goods; changing distribution structure in the Cuban market;
the importance of price in the new Cuban economy; the finance regime for
trade; Cuban interests in accessing specific regional products and services;
the opportunity for further collaboration between Cuba and CARIFORUM; and
regional investment promotion. Benefits of the mission include knowledge on
in-market information partners in Cuba that can form a wider trade and business
information network in the region, a clearer vision on the work programme to
be employed to further strengthen the ties with CARIFORUM and Cuba, and
detailed insights into the trade and business environment in the country.
Market Intelligence Training
Under the 10th EDF RPSDP Caribbean Export delivered a series of Market
Intelligence Training workshops across seven CARIFORUM States in 2014 and
2015. The aim of this intervention was to provide training for private sector firms
on the use of various market intelligence platforms and databases, which are
available for conducting market research, with support from trained technical
experts from BSOs including TPOs, and national trade export promotion agencies
(TEPAs) as seen below.
BSO PROVIDING SUPPORT DURING MARKET INTELLIGENCE TRAINING
COUNTRY
Barbados
Belize
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
Haiti
St. Lucia
Trinidad and Tobago
Small Business Association (SBA)
Belize Trade and Investment Development
Service (BELTRAIDE)
OECS Export Development Unit (EDU)
Dominican Association of Exporters (ADOEXPO)
National Free Zone Council (NFZC)
National Statistical Office (ONE)
Haiti Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI)
Saint Lucia Trade Export Promotion Agency
(TEPA)
National Export Facilitation Organisation of
Trinidad and Tobago (ExporTT)
INVESTMENT PROMOTION AGENCY
PROMOTING TRADE
AND EXPORT DEVELOPMENT