According to official statistics, in Peru there are around 3 million small and medium enterprises (SMEs)but only 5.8% of these businesses access some type of financing from traditional banks, indicated Rodolfo Ojeda, president of the Small Business of the Chamber of Commerce of Lima (CCL).
The business representative stated that little access to financing “is a big problem” because in the current context and given the lack of liquidity, SMEs need credit to reactivate, this during their participation in the XX Expo Pyme 2022: From entrepreneurship to world class management.
“We need to inject ourselves with working capital, but we cannot survive if banks offer us high rates that are around 36% on average, apart from complying with demanding requirements that ultimately end up suffocating us as a company.”, he remarked.
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In this sense, he considered it important to work on comprehensive proposals and strategies that allow greater access to credit and lower rates for SMEs, as well as greater financing facilities.
Similarly, the official pointed out that there are regulations in force that affect SMEs, among them the new regulation of movable guarantees, which seeks that small companies finance their businesses with movable assets (machinery, cars, etc.). However, according to what he said, the norm has not favored the majority of these productive units.
He also added that in this uncertain scenario, SMEs need to be more competitive and productive, not only for the local market, but also for them to have a greater presence in the international arena.
Finally, the representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Peru, Francisca Yu-tsz Chang, highlighted the efforts of Peruvian entrepreneurs, while stressing that SMEs are recognized as “the heart and engine of development of each country.” .
“Currently, our country produces more than US$ 889,000 million a year, where 97% comes from the efforts of our SMEs, which have a business policy that has taken years to implement.”, he pointed out.
