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SMEs will be able to access $21.5 million in grants and other export support schemes allocated over the next four years in last night's Federal Budget. Funding for the TradeStart export assistance program will continue for another four years and facilitate the opening of new offices in key regional areas (including Emerald in Queensland) The Export Access program will be rolled into TradeStart, to improve the services delivered to companies in metropolitan and regional areas. TradeStart operates as a partnership between Austrade and local partners – including chambers of commerce, private-sector organisations, and state and territory governments. The Budget also commits $1.6 million over four years to double the minimum grant from $2,500 to $5,000 under the Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) scheme. The EMDG scheme reimburses 50% of eligible export marketing expenses, less the first $15,000. Trade Minister Mark Vaile says the strategies are part of the government's aim to double to 50,000 the number of exporters by 2006.