Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Source: Pacific Trade Invest New Zealand (PTI NZ)
COVID-19 impacts on Pacific businesses have remained at severe levels since tracking began in May 2020, with between 79 to 92 per cent of respondents consistently reporting a negative impact.
However, the stability in optimism among most respondents with 70 per cent of Pacific businesses confident their business will survive the COVID-19 crisis, compared to 69 per cent last wave proves that continuing to seek out and invest knowledge and time into growing Pacific Island businesses is a worthwhile endeavour.
Pacific Trade Invest New Zealand (PTI NZ), the trade and investment arm of the Pacific Islands Forum has responded to ongoing pandemic related issues by continuing to review their support and knowledge offerings to Pacific Island businesses.
PTI NZ has recently accepted three Pacific Island businesses into the third round of their bespoke Business Monitoring Programme started at the end of August.
PTI NZ Trade Development Manager Rohan Lord said the three companies met the business capability requirements needed to participate in the Programme.
“In 2020 our bespoke business mentoring programme was launched as a next stage of business support in their well-established Path to Market online webinar.
“The Programme was developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic which saw a huge impact on Pacific Island Countries (PICs) economies due to the loss of tourism income from closed borders.
“Pacific Trade Invest NZ wants to assist micro, small and medium businesses in Pacific Island Countries to shift from being export capable to being export ready.”
The Programme is an accelerated, intensive 10-week course that allows individual businesses to receive one-on-one effective business advice applied specifically to their requirements. In this cohort, two businesses from Samoa and one from Fiji have been accepted and will participate.
“We looked for businesses that were dedicated to achieving entry into the New Zealand market. This is an intensive course and requires a strong commitment from participants,” said Rohan.
PTI NZ seeks to develop organisations considered export capable, that is, have goods that would be of interest to the New Zealand market. Through the Programme they will become more proficient in production planning, financial forecasting, export planning, product development and marketing intel.”
The Programme also analyses the current export market relative to the business and provides participants with the appropriate strategies and contacts for exporting to New Zealand.
The third round of the Business Mentoring Programme is currently underway. To find out more visit https://www.pacifictradeinvest.co.nz/business-mentor/
