SME Corp targets sales of RM12 mln at SME Week 2017

KUALA LUMPUR: SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) aims to increase the sales value from the Small and Medium Enterprises ( SME) Week 2017 to RM12 million from RM8.26 million last year.

Chief executive officer Datuk Dr Hafsah Hashim said it would be driven by the participation of new online shopping players such as Lazada, 11street and Google, apart from existing hypermarkets as Giant, Tesco, Lulu, Mydin and Aeon.

She also said the expected sales value this year is based on the improved sales in 2016 which rose 39 per cent to RM8.26 million from RM3.64 million in 2015.

“Throughout the SME Week from May 5-26, there will be business matching sessions between the SMEs, online players and hypermarkets, to source for new suppliers.

“We will also organise training events on how to posit ion and market SME products efficiently through the online platforms, which i nc lude s phot og r aphy, packaging, warehousing and logistics.

“SMEs will find it beneficial as their products will not only be available in the domestic market, but also global ly immediately,” she told a media briefing on the event.

SME Corp’s latest survey in 2016 showed that 32 per cent of SMEs had ventured online with most of moving into consumer goods such as food, groceries and apparel, from only six per cent in 2010.

Hafsah hoped that by 2020, 50 per cent of SMEs would have joined the online market.

On potential SME sales, she said the trend was also in tandem with the 12 per cent increase from RM60.03 million in 2015 to RM72.8 million in 2016. — Bernama