Agri ministry reaps rewards with new trading partners, diversified exports

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Pearnel Charles Jr says Jamaica is now in its final stage of negotiations for citrus export to Trinidad and Tobago, the latest in a series of positive trade moves for the country.

Addressing The Plant Quarantine Exporters forum held at the ministry’s Hope Gardens, St Andrew offices recently, he outlined the ministry’s efforts at diversifying export, and securing markets, noting that:

“The Plant Quarantine/Produce Inspection (PQ/PI) Branch has spent years negotiating with regional and international trading partners to gain additional or new access for Jamaican produce. Mangoes were exported to the United States; pineapples to Barbados; and ackee, plantain, soursop and breadfruit to the Cayman Islands. To date, Jamaica has begun to reap the intended benefits from these exports,” he said.

He said that the PPQ/PI Branch recently shifted its focus to the export of citrus to Trinidad and Tobago; June plum and soursop to the United States; and pepper, yam and mangoes to Barbados, with the citrus negotiations with Trinidad and Tobago now in the final stages.

Charles highlighted that Jamaica currently exports to over 30 countries worldwide, with the United States of America (US), Canada, the United Kingdom and Cayman Islands being the most important markets for Jamaican produce.

He said the average annual export is approximately 34.5 million kilograms, with estimated earnings of US$78.32 million.

“Yam export is a significant contributor to this figure, with an average export of approximately 14.24 million kilograms and estimated earnings of US$36.74 million,” he said.

For 2022, over 15 million kilograms of fresh produce was exported to the US valued at J$40.434 million, followed by Canada with exports of over 4.325 million kilograms valued at approximately J$11.135 million.

The twin-island republic has been trying to improve and balance its trade relations with Jamaica in recent years.

Previously, Jamaica had frosty relations with Trinidad and Tobago, with tension between both nations mounting in 2013, when Jamaican exporters called for a boycott of Trinidadian imports to the island.

Local exporters had complained of a trade imbalance between the countries and the difficulties they experienced in accessing markets in Trinidad and Tobago.

Paula Gopee-Scoon, Trinidad and Tobago’s minister of trade and industry, says things have improved significantly.

In an interview with The Gleaner last November, during a trade mission in Jamaica, Gopee-Scoon shared that the thawing of the frosty relations was as a result of the efforts by both governments in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

“The relationship must extend beyond trade in goods and services. It should also extend to investments, and we’ve been doing that for a long time. There are a number of companies that have invested in Trinidad and Tobago, companies that have invested in Jamaica, and vice versa. Only recently, there was a purchase by Seprod of the A.S. Bryden [and Sons (Trinidad) Limited] in Trinidad and Tobago, [and] that’s a sizeable purchase,” Gopee-Scoon said.

“Trinidad and Tobago also is developing a special economic zone regime, and I would encourage persons from either side to invest in each other’s country where there are opportunities,” she said.

Gopee-Scoon said Trinidad and Tobago allows for the easy transfer of goods.