A new program, called "Step by Step to Exporting" ("Exportar Paso a Paso" in Spanish), will simplify the procedures required to export to Honduras, Panama and Dominican Republic.
The program, coordinated by EXPORTA, El Salvador's exports promotion agency, requires companies to "be formally incorporated, have at least three years of operating history and register sales of more than $100.000 a year".
Three Salvadoran companies took part in the Sourcing at Magic event held from 16 to 19 August in Las Vegas.
The textile manufacturers that attended were Industrias Argueta, Confecciones Samia and Dany S.A., according to a report from the country's export association, Exporta El Salvador.
"Given that Sourcing at Magic is a world class event for the entire apparel and footwear supply chain, exclusive designers and brands were represented.
Twenty-Seven Salvadoran food companies have allied to reach the United States under a single label.
With support from the Salvadoran Export Promotion Agency (EXPORTA), food classified as "ethnic" or "nostalgic" is being successfully exported to states like New York, New Jersey, Washington, Virginia and Maryland.
There were $242 million worth of this type of food exported to the world in 2008.
On April 23 and 24, El Salvador will host the Second Latin American and Caribbean Meeting of Trade and Investment.
Among the topics to be discussed at the meeting organized by the Salvadoran Commission for the Promotion of Exports and Investments (PROESA and EXPORTA) are: the impacts of the global crisis on developing countries and the measures that have been taken to mitigate it; an analysis of the Latin American and Caribbean competitive situation in infrastructure and trade services and the situation of the tourism sector, including its current challenges and opportunities.
EXPORTA El Salvador estimated the value of the regional construction sector, excluding El Salvador, at $7.12 billion.
The figure comes from a study by EXPORTA, the Salvadoran Export Promotion Agency, focused on market opportunities presented by the construction sector in Central America for Salvadoran firms.
The findings, published in an article in La Prensa Gráfica, emphasized that "services in the construction industry are more developed in Panama, Guatemala and Costa Rica, mainly because of foreign or public investment in tourism and large infrastructure;" and in Panama, despite the slowdown, "the majority of the projects are still in progress."
Honduras is the market with the most potential for direct sales while Costa Rica is the best for strategic alliances.
The Export Promotion Agency of El Salvador presented a study on the software industry in Central America and the main conclusions are contained in an article in elsalvador.com.
According to the article, the main buyers of software products and services are "multinational corporations, banks and financial institutions (traditional and nontraditional), telecommunications companies, government and SMEs which are in the process of modernization."