El Salvador, probably best known for its high-quality coffee, is expanding its presence in the local handicraft market, aiming to attract more Taiwanese customers with its unique art crafts.
“We hope to draw the attention of Taiwanese young women, especially those who like to wear exotic accessories,” Vice Minister of Trade and Industry of El Salvador Merlin Alejandrina Barrera said in Taipei yesterday.
Asked about the feature of EI Salvador-made products, Barrera said Salvadoran producers bring their culture and creativity into those trendy products, citing accessories made of real butterfly wings.
Photo: the Central America Trade Office
“Butterflies have short life spans...and some handicraft makers turn the wings of dead butterflies into beautiful earrings,” she added.
The plan to tap into the Taiwanese market is actually part of the Central American country’s effort to encourage the micro and small enterprises (MSEs) by exporting exquisite handicrafts.
MSEs presents about 99 percent of El Salvador’s business sector and generates nearly 700,000 jobs, contributing about 35 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), statistics showed.
“Our marketing strategy now is to develop a platform for those individual suppliers in Salvador, helping them reach more customers in overseas markets,” Barrera said, referring to a trade promotion agency called “El Salvador Productivo”.
The Salvadoran Government has completed the first stage of its handicraft promotion plan after building a nation-themed store at its international airport.
“The second step of the plan is about e-commerce,” Barrera told the Taipei Times, adding that the ministry would also consider introducing more products through cooperations with Taiwanese e-commerce operators.
She made the remarks on the sidelines of the inking of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between El Salvador and the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (中小企業總會), a local business group that plays a bridging role in Taiwan’s economic sector.
The idea of the MOU is a win-win strategic alliance, Barrera said, adding that the Salvadoran Government expects to create more direct collaborations with Taiwanese companies.
With the help of the MOU, Taiwanese producers can also reach customers in Central American markets, she added.
El Salvador yesterday opened a nation-themed pavilion at the Giftionery Taipei 2018 at Taipei World Trade Center, showcasing more than 100 handicrafts made by Salvadoran suppliers.
The trade show, which runs through Sunday, is expected to attract more than 20,000 buyers and industry professionals from 42 countries.
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