RWANDAN  producers and exporters have been urged to explore regional markets, a move that is expected to enhance their production and competitiveness within the East African Community.Through an export business model dubbed MARKETLINKED, a group of Rwandans toured Uganda to make contacts and share experiences as an opportunity to enter the regional market.EAC has embarked on the nurturing new poles of growth to strengthen regional markets as one way to mitigate the effects of global uncertainty."Rwanda has potential exports but they are in shelves,” noted John Bosco Kalisa, the Programme Manager of TradeMark East Africa.He added that the programme would start with Uganda before exporters expand to other regional countries depending on the success of the preceding projects.TradeMark has injected US$150,000 in the first phase of the programme to train and mentor producers and exporters on export trade development programme.According to Kalisa, TradeMark hired Traidlinks, an Irish based company, to facilitate Rwandan companies to enter regional markets by training beneficiaries in areas of packaging, labelling, marketing and cash flow.Eusebe Muhikira, Head of Trade and Manufacturing Department at Rwanda Development Board (RDB), said the companies were selected by Traidlinks and out of 40 companies surveyed, 12 were selected in the pilot project."To avoid inconsistency and standards problems, it’s not an open market. We had to identify few committed companies that will meet the requirements from their distributors in Uganda,” Muhikira told Business Times.Among the companies that participated in the Ugandan mission include Inyange industries, Sulfo Rwanda, NPD Contraco, TrustCo Rwanda and Chillington Rwanda. David Rusirare, the Executive Chairman of Chillington Rwanda, a company that deals in manufacturing spare parts and wheelbarrows also participated in a sales mission to Uganda and he is confident of making gains in the market."We were overwhelmed by a high response of potential investors who are ready to give us business,” said Rusirare in an interview.Participants had a chance to visit places with relevant business links like supermarkets, construction and transport companies.He confirmed that by meeting with different companies, his factory had secured orders worth US$30,000.The orders, however, are still subject to approval after gauging samples.Francisco Xavier Gasimba, the President of Sosoma Industries, observed that their products were attractive to consumers owing to their rich nutrients but cautioned on packaging. Sosoma Industries produces flour usually used to prepare porridge. "I am confident that our products will sell well, but we need to invest more in quality packaging,” Gasimba noted. He acknowledged that their main competitor was Maganjo that also produces flour for Ugandan and Rwandan markets."The core objective is to meet the local demand but we need to change our business plan and expand the market which is the only way to grow,” he emphasised.Presentations about the programme were also made to other local companies on consumer perception of Rwandan products in the Ugandan market.