Some 7,577 MSMEs sold their products abroad in 2021, exceeding the 7,240 that had exported in 2020 and in this way, this type of companies represented 89% of the total companies that made external sales, according to official information.

When doing a sector analysis, it is observed that the greatest increase in percentage terms was obtained by the exports of Fuels and Energy, which went from USD400 million in 2020 to USD700 million in 2021, an increase of 72.1%, the highest exported value since 2012.

The five main export destinations for MSMEs were Brazil (USD1,712 million), China (USD1,296 million), the United States (USD1,193 million), Chile (USD824 million) and Uruguay (USD558 million).

However, the highest year-on-year growth in external shipments occurred with Uruguay (40%), the United States (28%) and Chile (27%), while China and Brazil presented variations of 18% and 7%, respectively.

Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero and the Secretary of Small and Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurs, Guillermo Merediz, analyzed the progress of plans for national SMEs to increase their exports, enhancing local capabilities in each Argentine province.

The strategy seeks to reduce productivity gaps, increasing the number of SMEs that export and promoting business rounds abroad through the work of Argentine Embassies around the world, it was reported in a statement from the Foreign Ministry after the meeting.

Cafiero highlighted that “articulated work between the public and private spheres is essential, in the search for new external markets for Argentina.”

"From the Foreign Ministry we have the possibility of opening markets, of opening businesses, and for this the link with SMEs is very important to be a platform that encourages export," he added, pointing out that "companies that export and develop, raise the performance of national production."

For his part, Merediz highlighted that "the country's economic and productive activity is recovering and in order to consolidate this improvement it is necessary to have more foreign currency, which when genuine comes from export development."

“These initiatives are key to consolidating a productive agenda that strengthens the enormous capabilities that Argentine SMEs have,” said the Productive Development portfolio official.

BAE Business