Exporting

South African export councils

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) promotes the formation of industry-based export councils to assist exporters in reaching their targets, supplying funding for the formation of export councils and certain of their initiatives, including trade missions and exhibitions.

Various industry sectors have organised themselves into export councils to tackle the global marketplace as collective forces. These include the automotive, electrotechnics, wire, stainless steel, aluminium, flower, wine, cosmetics, crafts, ceramics and textiles sectors.

The export council approach is specifically tailored to facilitate access to DTI support structures by small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) as well as larger companies.

Executives appointed by participating firms serve on the export councils. A meeting of the National Export Advisory Council (NEAC) is held on a quarterly basis to hear proposals and address obstacles to the export councils' ability to operate successfully.

The DTI carries a full list, with contact details, of South Africa's export councils, industry associations and joint action groups. The main details of the list are as follows (organisations with websites are clickable; for those without there are telephone numbers):

Export councils