The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of the Tangier wilaya recently invited companies in the region to group into export consortia in order to facilitate the access of Moroccan products to foreign markets. The Chamber called on industrial units in the region, which are essentially export-oriented, to benefit from the Export Synergia programme, launched by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and New Technologies with the aim of supporting the international development of Moroccan companies.

According to a statement from the Chamber, 15 export consortia are expected to be created in Morocco for the year 2012, in the sectors of agri-food, seafood, textiles and leather, offshoring, the automotive industry, the electrical industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and all other value-added sectors.

To this end, the Department of Foreign Trade has recruited a consultancy firm responsible for raising awareness among exporting or potentially exporting SMEs in order to group them into export consortia, to develop synergies between the members of these groups, and to assist them in their legal constitution phase, the statement notes.

Cooperation within an export consortium allows associates to reduce the risks associated with exporting by improving access to market information and diversifying their outlets, improving profitability through the sharing of administrative, marketing, and product promotion costs, accumulating knowledge and know-how, and strengthening the image and positioning of companies with their clients through the presentation of a wide range of products and a complementary offer.

The Export Synergia programme aims to create 55 export consortia, each counting at least five companies with a turnover of more than 175 million dirhams, while being in good standing with the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) and the tax administration.

The programme provides financial support capped at 1.5 million dirhams to legally constituted consortia, in order to support them in the start-up, structuring, and international development phases.

According to figures presented this year during a workshop organised in Tangier on this subject, 21 consortia have been created since the launch of this concept in Morocco in 2003. They bring together 120 exporting companies in the various regions, operating notably in the textile-clothing, agri-food, construction, tourism, services, and mechanical and electrical industry sectors.