Advice for SMEs
in Central America
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The Embassy of the Republic of Taiwan is organizing seminars to publicise the demand for products such as nuts, paints, tuna, and spices.
"We believe that SMEs have little access to long-range markets like Taiwan and are focusing more on neighboring markets, but this is not enough, so we have prepared this seminar so as to boost exports to other markets," said Andres Liu, minister counselor from the Embassy of Taiwan, according Elmundo.com.sv.
Monday, May 7, 2012
The demand for loans for micro and small enterprises was around $900 million over the past two years and went largely unfulfilled.
Data from the Panamanian Network of Microfinancers (Redpamif in Spanish) show that specialized microfinance institutions granted in that period about $150 million in loans to micro and small enterprises.
Another part of the demand, some $120 million, was attended to by other financial market participants through consumer loans.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Companies involved in this project led by Agexport attended 157 meetings, closing deals of $5 million in the first six months.
Agexport President, Francisco Menendez, said that 65% of small and medium businesses managed to close business using the methodology of the Mesa Mesoamerica.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Over 50% of SMEs fail before they are three years old, 90% are no more than five years old and only 10% survive.
In the case of Nicaragua the subject is sensitive, "because 60 percent of its business backbone is made up of micro, small and medium enterprises, which account for 40 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), estimated at more than six billion dollars.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
The website "Made in Guatemala" has been created for Guatemalan SMEs to sell their products in Italy.
The Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Guatemalan Exporters Association have joined forces and launched the website "Made in Guatemala" on which Guatemalan SMEs may sell their products to Europe, mainly in Italy.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Products such as cocoa, honey, coffee and fresh fruit will be exported by some 14 small and medium enterprises in Nicaragua with the assistance of a Dutch program that announced a second opening for new candidates.
This group of companies has benefited from the Export Coaching Programme funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Monday, December 12, 2011
On December 14 in Panama City the regional forum under the theme "Entrepreneurship, Employment and Local Development" will take place.
The event will bring together representatives from countries in Central America and the Caribbean, and is sponsored by the Regional Centre for the Promotion of Micro and Small Enterprises in Central America.
Friday, November 18, 2011
The BBVA Foundation and AMPYME have agree to the first private-public partnership for microfinancers in Panama.
The Microfinance Foundation of the Spanish bank BBVA has teamed up with the Authority for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Panama to promote the use of financial products from these companies.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The funds will be used to improve the competitiveness of MSEs in the Huétar Norte region and expand rural credit services in the South Central region.
A press release by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) reads:
IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno today signed agreements for two projects run by the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) to the amount of U.S.
Friday, October 7, 2011
The BCIE has granted a credit line to Cathay Bank to support MSME’s, as well as international trade and housing in Costa Rica.
A press release by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) reads:
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) has granted a loan to Banco Cathay allowing it to expand its global credit line to $10.5 million in order to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as well as international trade and housing Costa Rica.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The loan will benefit more than 1,000 producers by providing access to co-financing for enhancing trade capacity.
A press release by Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) states:
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a loan of U.S. $30 million to El Salvador for the program of Development Support Production for International Integration, which will increase the ability of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to participate in national, regional and global value chains.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The 'Coaching Exportation to Europe' program aims to train 100 Guatemalan businesses to export to the Netherlands.
The program is being led by the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (Agexport) with support from the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from the Netherlands (CBI).
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Public and private entities in Cartago are pushing for the creation of a special economic zone (ZEE in Spanish).
The initiative aims to promote links between Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the area and large enterprises, while promoting job creation in the area of science and technology.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The exporters corporation of El Salvador is holding a regional workshop themed “Modernising Technical Requirements” to help people export to the U.S. safely.
As part of its AGROCAFTA program, the corporation of exporters of El Salvador (COEXPORT) is including a a regional workshop on modernising technical requirements to support SMEs with making secure exports to the U.S.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Proposed reforms to the country's Acquisitions and Contracts law, combined with a $1.4 million investment, would enable MSEs to bid for government contracts.
If the bill is approved by congress, the government procurement, acquisitions and contracts law (known as Lacap in Spanish) MSEs would obtain 12% of state purchases.
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