How To Find International Buyers For Your Agricultural Export Produce

-
This is one of the most important aspects of exporting agricultural produce from the shores of the country. Getting foreign buyers is very important because it serves as an avenue to earn foreign exchange for your products.

It is also one of the biggest challenges many entrepreneurs face more especially those that are just starting the business. Some potential exporters produce or source quality agricultural products but don’t have buyers for them. This is very frustrating and can lead to one’s losing interest in the whole process.

Exporting your products abroad is not an easy task. You will have to overcome a lot of barriers, understand new cultures, languages, and have capable partners that can make your dreams come true and become a successful exporter.

 If you are looking for how to find international buyers for your agricultural produce here are 10 ways to get started:

1). Register With Nigeria Export Promotion Councils (NEPC):
By registering with Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) you can get connected to genuine foreign buyers. These foreign buyers make requests through their embassies via the NEPC for connection to local sellers who are registered with the NEPC and   are well known.
The council has over the years worked to achieve its mandate by coordinating and harmonizing export development and promotion activities in the country. They do this by taking the lead in all national export programs and interfacing with international trade agencies on cooperation and capacity building. 

 2). Register On International Trade Platforms:
International trade platforms generally known as b2b (business to business) have made global export business a whole lot easier as they have opened far more opportunities for businesses that have products and are constantly looking out for exporters that can facilitate a certain minimum transaction.
By registering your export business on these platforms and displaying your products therein, your chances of getting international customers increase immediately.
Find below are some of these international trade platforms that can facilitate your opportunity of getting foreign buyers.
Registering on these websites is free but most of them have premium services that will require you pay certain fees that will enable you have access to potential clients, faster.

3). Fill Orders From Local Buyers Who Export To Foreign Organizations:
Another route to take is to supplement the orders of local companies who have international customers to export products and services to. By supplementing their operations, you can ensure they’re up to par with their supplies, although you remain indirectly connected to the end client.


4). Have An International SEO-Ready Website:
While registering on an online trading platform as per detailed above, it is important and also highly recommended that you have an international SEO-Ready website. The advantage of this is that when international companies or buyers are searching Google for businesses that can export certain products to them, your company would be easy for them to find online.
If you use highly experienced SEO experts to scale up your online visibility on search engines, you will not just improve the chances of being found easily online, but also stand a good chance to land on the first page of Google.

5). Do Email Marketing:
Email marketing gets results, no matter how small, as long as you are marketing to the right audience. You could have a lead capture tool on your website, which you would use to gather email addresses. With every email gotten, you can send them periodic emails about your products and services and also include deals and promotions that could get the recipient’s interest.

6). Hire Overseas Agents On Commission Basis:
You can get reliable sales agents by contacting the Chambers of Commerce, Export Promotion Councils, independent consultants or even your relatives in the country you intend to export products to.
These sales agents will interface directly with the foreign buyers and will always let you know their position on any potential purchase. You will also agree on the commission you will pay them.

7). Contact The Countries Chamber of Commerce:
As stated above, the Chambers of Commerce in several countries can help you not just get sales agents, but also help you find valuable contacts.
Reaching out to them in a bid to build a supply chain network of international buyers from their countries is a great step to take. After which, you can go ahead to approach the buyers you learn of and introduce your business to them. 

8). Participate In Trade Fairs:
Engaging in trade fairs is a great way to introduce your products to international buyers. Foreign international companies usually visits trade fairs to see what is new in the market, who’s selling what and which businesses produce or source the best quality of products.
China, for instance, is one country where trade fairs are held regularly. People from all over the world travel to China during their trade fairs, as it is a great time for them to find competent suppliers.
By joining trade fairs in your country, you can advertise your products to the world.

9). Get Import Lists From Foreign Embassies:
Most countries have state-controlled companies that import products in large quantities. You can do a thorough research on the countries your products would be a great fit for and contact their embassies in your country or directly reach out to them through their company’s website contact details.
To make it easier, if you can get a foreign representative with connections to help you through the process, getting a signed deal would be a whole lot easier. 

10). SEO Internet Marketing:

SEO is a marketing discipline focused on growing visibility in organic (non-paid) search engine results. SEO encompasses both the technical and creative elements required to improve rankings, drive traffic, and increase awareness in search engines.
This involves the use of SEO, email marketing, social media marketing, Pay-Per-Click advertising, and a whole lot more to boost the visibility of your business to prospective international buyers.
This is usually capital intensive and would require you have an experienced digital marketing team to help you create and execute an effective digital strategy.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Export Process-Flow For Agricultural/Other Commodities

-
1. Register a limited liability company. 👇🏼 2. Register with the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to become a licenced exporter. 👇🏼 3. Get finance ready, source for buyers, negotiate sales contract with them and get an export order/running export order. 👇🏼 4. Source for export goods, clean and package them neatly. Forward a proforma-invoice to the buyer. The buyer acknowledges it and ask you to ship. 👇🏼 5 Get the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NASQ) to inspect your export goods and get certification for that. 👇🏼 6. Proceed to the bank, verify the buyers L/C. Also at the bank you will complete and register form NXP with an authorized dealer (Commercial bank). Payment for NESS charges. 👇🏼 7. NESS inspection (pre-shipment inspection under NESS by government appointed inspection agent. Certificate of Clean Inspection (CCI) is issued. 👇🏼 8. Identify a carrier e.g. (MAERSK-line) Load and Move goods in container to the sea port for customs in...
Read more

How To Start Charcoal Export From Nigeria To International Buyers

-
Image
The gradual global shift from the mass distribution of oil products has opened up opportunities in several other energy sectors. This trend has set a pace for the widespread demand of cheaper energy sources for households and communities. Since the cost of kerosene, diesel and petrol still carry high market figures, Africans and many other countries seek cheaper alternatives. One lucrative source of cheaper alternative is charcoal and this has given rise to a large charcoal export industry. Charcoal provides a low-cost method of cooking for local communities around the developing part of the world. Most of the locals living in these small communities cannot afford to use cooking gas, kerosene, or even electric cookers with the absence of electricity. As a result of this, Charcoal alternative represents more than 80% of the total energy used in preparing household meals in Africa. With a large charcoal market existing in Europe, America, & Asia, its global worth continues...
Read more

10 Documents Every Nigerian Exporter Must Have Before Shipping

-
1. Commercial invoice: As in a domestic transaction, the commercial invoice is a bill for the goods from the buyer to the seller. A commercial invoice should include basic information about the transaction, including a description of the goods, the address of the shipper and seller, and the delivery and payment terms. The buyer needs the invoice to prove ownership and to arrange payment. Some governments use the commercial invoice to assess customs duties. 2. Bill of lading: Bills of lading are contracts between the owner of the goods and the carrier (as with domestic shipments). There are two types. A straight bill of lading is nonnegotiable. A negotiable or shipper’s order bill of lading can be bought, sold, or traded while goods are in transit and is used for letter-of-credit transactions. The customer usually needs the original or a copy as proof of ownership to take possession of the goods. 3. Consular invoice: Certain nations require a consular invoice, which is use...
Read more