A YEAR-OLD European-funded initiative to boost exports from North Yorkshire was today hailed a success.

The York and North Yorkshire Export Forum claims that more North Yorkshire businesses than ever are now expected to be exporting in the next few years thanks to an Achieving Excellence campaign funded by almost £600,000 in EC money.

The region was targeted as having huge, but untapped, potential for exports and the programme was aimed largely at business people thinking about selling their products abroad for the first time.

More than 200 delegates attended a series of six-day workshops in major towns and cities like Skipton, Harrogate, York, Scarborough and Thirsk, many of them export "first-timers". A further 109 delegates attended exporting awareness events.

A total of 60 businesses have been helped to develop export strategies, often with one-to-one advice, and a further 22 businesses were now implementing them, said Export Forum spokesman Roland Harris, who is also chief executive of the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

He said: "We have been heartened by the interest in the exporting campaign which has exceeded our targets and feel confident that the county will soon have many new businesses selling their products overseas.

"These businesses - and others interested in exporting - will continue to be able to access expert help and advice from Business Link North Yorkshire, so we can build on the initiative's success."

North Yorkshire's food companies were now benefiting from a visit last month by US buyers from specialist food retail outlets.

The visit, organised by the Export Forum with York and North Yorkshire Chamber, as well as Business Link North Yorkshire and Yorkshire Pantry, prepared a showcase for the Americans by 16 of the region's food firms.

Also under the Achieving Excellence banner, a four-day market visit to Copenhagen, Denmark, will take place in November.