Continued focus needed on small and start-up exporters

Small and start-up exporters must not be allowed to fall through the cracks in the wake of the Government’s changes to business assistance programmes, says Business NZ.

Business NZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly says the plan to roll all export grant schemes into one fund has positive aspects, including more flexibility and more targeted help by NZ Trade & Enterprise.

“But it will be important that small and medium sized exporters are still able to access the kind of assistance that in the past has been available through the Market Development Assistance Scheme.

“It will also be important that the criteria for accessing that assistance are very transparent, so that firms can identify what they need to do to qualify, whether it is training, overall business capability, product innovation, R&D or other steps. Business NZ will then be able to better help those firms meet the criteria.

“A great deal of export revenue is generated by New Zealand firms that started in small niche operations, and it will be important for the Government and government agencies to work with Export NZ/Business NZ to achieve the most relevant form of assistance.”