ASHGABAT (TCA) — The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Competitiveness, Trade, and Jobs Program in Central Asia, in partnership with the Turkmenistan Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (UIE), held a seminar for local producers to help strengthen their export potential, the American Embassy in Ashgabat said on March 28.
To increase their revenue and earn hard currency, Turkmenistan’s producers look to foreign markets to export their products. However, local producers need to enhance the marketing of their products abroad and better understand market requirements, client preferences, and the competition they face in order not to be at a competitive disadvantage.
To help producers better market their products outside of Turkmenistan, USAID used case studies to show how creative thinking and differentiating products can increase export. One participant in the seminar noted, “This course gave me insight into foreign markets and the tools I need to develop a strategy to expand my exports.”
By incentivizing firms to become more competitive and address impediments to trade, USAID is helping develop a more diverse and competitive private sector and generate export-driven growth.
The government of Turkmenistan now pays special attention to increasing exports, as the country is experiencing a shortage of foreign currency largely caused by decreasing revenues from the export of natural gas, the country’s main export commodity.
