Merseyside firms are being urged to broaden their trading horizons and consider exporting opportunities.

Liverpool is hosting an International Trade Expo next month and organisers are calling on companies to help arrest a decline in both North West overseas trade, and exporters.

In the year to last December,  exports from the North West fell from £30m to £27m and the number of active exporters declined by 1.6%, against 2012.

The region faces falling behind local and national competitors if nothing is done to boost overseas trading, say the Expo organisers.

They claim that public procurement demand from 12 key emerging markets, including China, Indonesia and Turkey, for businesses in the UK is set to be worth £110bn by 2030 and the North West economy could lose out on its share if business owners do not extend their customer market portfolio.

Liverpool's ECHO Arena and BT Convention Centre will host the International Trade Expo on June 10-11, and spokesman Nick James said: "The North West has a rich heritage in exports dating back hundreds of years.

"The fact that the value of exports and the number of businesses exporting is falling is one that has to be arrested. Companies need to look further afield than their domestic market and eye up international trade if they are to expand at a successful rate."

He added: "We know that a growth economy is typified by strong trading in exports and the North West runs the risk of falling behind the rest of the UK if it doesn't develop in this area.

"The International Trade Expo is designed to help companies start the process of operating on an international stage and is the place to get in-depth knowledge and advice.

"It's not as daunting as people think and at the Expo there will be a number of very successful people in this area who will be sharing the benefits of their knowledge and expertise to help businesses get started."

The Expo will tackle issues such as doing business internationally and comprises exhibition halls, round- table discussions and seminars with guest speakers including Lord Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer, Marie Harvey, managing director of Liverpool-based Bibby Factors, and Trevor Bates, from the Russo/British Chamber of Commerce.