Export businesses have been urged to apply for the Western Cape Government’s Export Competitiveness Enhancement Programme (ECEP) which closes at midnight on Friday, 30 June.
The fund aims to support export-ready businesses or working towards export readiness to meet international market requirements.
Western Cape MEC for Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, said the programme is part of the province’s key priority areas of its new ‘Growth for Jobs’ strategy to drive the expansion of proudly Western Cape exports.
“We do this because our research shows that if we can increase exports by 10%, we can generate an estimated R6 billion to the Western Cape Gross Domestic Product, creating many more jobs in the province,” Wenger said.
The programme will focus on developing and investing in the capacity of businesses to unlock export opportunities through a structured process. This will include working on business turnaround and improvement, and on improving entrepreneurial skills and business competitiveness in relation to scale and efficiency.
It will also position businesses to expand into current markets and access new opportunities.
Interventions will provide support mechanisms to improve capability, competitiveness, productivity, and export growth.
The fund will support the following activities:
- Product reformulation and refinement.
- International packaging, labelling and printing requirements.
- International product certification and standards for international market access.
- Product registration with relevant international bodies in export markets.
- International nutritional analysis.
- Specialised shipping requirements.
“As we enter the final week for applications for the Export Enhancement Fund, I urge businesses who have yet to apply, to do so,” Wenger said.
“Having just returned from the United States of America, I can say that there certainly is a great interest in Western Cape products, and I look forward to helping businesses get their goods on many more shelves abroad.”
For more information visit the provincial government’s website here.
