Agriculture minister urges farmers to increase yam production for export
Published:Saturday | February 18, 2023 | 12:42 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
Fifteen years after the world’s fastest man Jamaica’s Usain Bolt quipped that yam should be credited for his streak to 100-metre Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, Pearnel Charles Jr, minister of agriculture and fisheries, said that the sensational sprinter’s assertion remains a major factor behind the annual export demand for the commodity outweighing supply in 2022.
On the other hand, Jamaica exports to more than 30 countries worldwide, with the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Cayman Island being the most important markets for Jamaican produce. The average annual export is approximately 34.5 million kilograms with estimated earnings of US$78.32 million, of which yam is a significant contributor with an average export of approximately 14.24 kilograms and estimated earnings of US$36.74 million.
For 2022, more than 15 million kilograms of fresh produce were exported to the United States valued at J$40.434 million followed by Canada with exports of 4.235 million kilograms valued at approximately J$11.135 million.
“For 2022, even with all the yam that they are exporting, there were still not meeting the demand because they’re persons calling us wanting containers of Jamaican yam and some say it’s because the yam is linked to Usain running so fast,” Charles said.
He was speaking at the ministry’s Plant Quarantine Exporters’ Forum on Tuesday inside the offices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hope Gardens, St Andrew when he made those statements.
Charles Jr challenged Jamaican yam farmers to produce more of the highly demanded produce throughout 2023.
Apart from the increased demand for yams, the agriculture minister said Jamaica continues to distinguish itself in the international marketplace and there is more left to be done to unlock the country’s export potential.
“Jamaica is a special brand. We’re a special country with a lot of opportunities to build up our economic strength to provide opportunities for our farmers and investors and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is focused on creating a structure that will allow us to really get our fresh produce out to the world,” he said.
“Our agriculture export dates back a long time for more than a century with bananas being one of the first crops exported to the US and the UK. Throughout the years, our export industry has endured the test of time. We have expanded with primary focus on traditional exports: coffee, cocoa, banana, pimento and non-traditional exports, such as yam, sweet potatoes, dasheen, peppers, mangoes, breadfruits and callaloo. It is important to note that the industry is recognised and valued on its resilience, its creativity and market preference,” he said.
Charles Jr also reiterated that Jamaica, over decades, has been able to build up its resilience and its capacity to withstand and overcome trade issues that threaten to cripple the country’s market share.
He also said that Jamaica, through his ministry, is seeking to expand to new export markets through its plant quarantine/produce inspection branch, which would facilitate growth in production as well.