Think Dutch — that’s the mantra for Bihar entrepreneurs eager to enhance their business possibilities and productivity.

Experts from PUM Netherlands will offer assistance to small- and medium-scale units in the state, especially in agriculture and related sectors.

PUM, a non-profit organisation supported by the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs, is now open to offer services to businessmen from the state, announced its India country co-ordinator (east, Northeast, north and Gujarat) John De Bruijn on Wednesday.

The agency, which has its headquarters in the Hague, advises needy businesses in over 70 developing countries and emerging markets.

It has a team of 3,200 experts, who provide free advice in fields such as tourism, hotels, paper, textiles spinning, cement, cycles, automobiles, engineering, agriculture, food processing, dairy, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and packaging.

The experts travel all across the world, according to Bruijn, who was in the city on Wednesday to address several small and medium industrialists during a meet organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce.

The firm took the initiative following several deliberations with senior functionaries of the state government, including chief minister Nitish Kumar and deputy chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, in recent months.

“Bihar has immense potential in the field of agriculture and fishery industries and the present government is also very keen to promote units in these sectors. Hence, we are here to assist the entrepreneurs offer them technological support and advise free of cost,” added Bruijn.

The agency advisors, mostly retired experts and former entrepreneurs, offer advice to the companies for upgrade of technology, introduction to new techniques, marketing and management.

“In 2012, the PUM assistance programme would focus on business links, including joint ventures and collaboration with Dutch companies. We facilitate export-import of products between two countries as well,” said Bruijn.

Talking about the way PUM functions, Tapan Kumar Hore, a senior executive of the agency, said their senior experts help companies to execute short-term, solid consultancy projects on the work floor so that businesses can establish sufficient knowledge to develop into a growth engine for the local economy.

“This will benefit both employment and the sustainable economic development of the eastern region which has largely remained neglected in terms of industrial growth primarily owing to lack of technical knowhow. Hundreds of entrepreneurs in states like Punjab, Odisha and Bengal have benefited from our services,” Hore added.

Ajay Kumar, who owns a food processing unit on the outskirts of the capital, said: “Small enterprises can rarely afford technical experts and professionals. But experts providing free assistance can be immensely helpful for small units.”