The Oregon Department of Agriculture is hosting international buyers this summer and fall. Visitors from Japan, China, and the Middle East are looking at export products like berries, nursery stock, and specialty or gourmet foods. International Trade Manager Theresa Yoshioka says hosting potential buyers is part of a two-pronged approach at marketing in Oregon.
Yoshioka: "We have outbound missions where we take our companies over to foreign markets. It’s a good chance to understand the market environment of where the products will be sold. But we also invite companies here. Buyers enjoy visiting Oregon, especially in the summer."
Yoshioka says bringing international buyers to Oregon is beneficial for producers, processors, and companies interested in exporting.
Yoshioka: “Because the buyers are coming to you, they are giving you immediate feedback on your product name, your packaging, its feasibility in their market. That kind of feedback is something that would be very expensive in another situation.”
The ODA is planning outbound trade missions in the next few months with representatives traveling to Australia, Europe, and Asia.
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