The Chilean Fresh Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX) is working to develop trade opportunities into Malaysia with the ratification of a free trade agreement expect by year-end.
Malaysian newspaper Bernama quoted ASOEX marketing manager for Europe and Asia Christian Carvajal as saying the organisation plans a mission to Malaysia next September to facilitate trade.
“Firstly, we have to understand the market and build relationships with local distributors,” he said. “Once the relationship is in place we can look at future promotional activities. But we need to secure the distribution first. We want to identify the opportunities, grow the opportunities, grow the awareness and undertake the prospective mission to Malaysia in very commercial terms,” he added.
Mr Carvajal told the newspaper Malaysia played an important role in ASOEX’s plans to develop markets in the region.
“South East Asia is very new to us. One of our challenges is to understand the requirements of these markets, including Malaysia,” said Mr Carvajal. “Our members have to understand the challenges before we go on the prospective mission. What they know about Malaysia is minimal.
“We started by going into Vietnam and Indonesia. Next we will go Malaysia and Singapore, and then perhaps to the Philippines,' he said.
“We’ve been taking it step by step in considering these markets, identifying the key clients and building relationships that will enable our exporters to reach these countries.”
Malaysia is at present a minor market for Chilean exporters and in the last year accounted for just two per cent of Chile’s total fruit exports.
