Jamaica Customs has announced that members of the productive sector (including exporters) are to pay less for the Customs Administration Fee (CAF), following consultation with stakeholders.

The examination fee for manufacturers importing raw materials and packaging materials will remain at J$25,000 for each container/shipment after which a 50 per cent discount is to be applied. The review came into effect on August 12.

In an effort to ensure that the fees remain in line with the revenue projections, there is an increase in CAF for all authorised economic operators and site containers. Nevertheless, these importers will still be paying less to clear their shipments when compared to the fees applicable if they were to clear their goods at the ports. Their savings range from J$16,000 to $100,000 per movement of the cargo, depending on the size of the container and the port used.

Major Richard Reese (Ret'd), commissioner of customs, commented that "these alternative revenue sources were identified by a specific team which was assembled to review the CAF based on a recommendation from the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce at their consultation forum earlier this year".