Press Releases

March 14, 2005

NEW SOFTWARE MAKES EVALUATING EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES EASY

“With GEMS, U.S. exporters, planners and program administrators can quickly obtain product specific information down to a 10 digit Harmonized System code level for many food and agricultural products as well as trade data at the global, national, regional and state level. ”

New Orleans, LA – The Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) has developed a software program that helps you evaluate export opportunities in a few simple steps. The new software, called the Global Export Market System (GEMS), provides vital trade statistics, transport cost indications for shipping your product, indications of the import tariffs facing you and your foreign competition, and foreign exchange rates to help you calculate costs in any currency.

In an increasingly competitive export market, determining which opportunities to focus on can be a challenge. Tariff and non-tariff barriers, along with other cost components of U.S. agricultural exports such as transportation costs and currency exchange rates, have a great bearing on the sustainability or viability of U.S. agricultural exports in many regions of the world. With GEMS, U.S. exporters, planners and program administrators can quickly obtain product specific information down to a 10 digit Harmonized System code level for many food and agricultural products as well as trade data at the global, national, regional and state level.

With over 500,000 result screens, GEMS helps answer such questions as:

• Where is my largest market for my specific product?
• Who are my competitors in that country?
• What is the approximate cost to ship my product?
• What are the approximate tariffs that I and my competitors would have to pay?

GEMS was designed by SUSTA specifically for the state Departments of Agriculture in its region and for qualified U.S. food and agriculture suppliers in the SUSTA region that are exporting or are interested in exporting. However, the software could be adapted for other users and needs.

SUSTA developed GEMS utilizing the expertise of third party databases and resources of CentradeX, Inc. and Page & Jones.

For more information about GEMS, visit www.susta.org to view examples, frequently asked questions and a recorded webinar, or contact the Southern U.S. Trade Association at susta@susta.org.

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