Jamaicans urged to export more
Local agro-processors and food and beverage manufacturers are being encouraged to explore the many prospects for exporting Jamaican food products.
Shanique Edwards, acting manager in charge of agribusiness exports at Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), gave the charge during a webinar last Thursday.
“We continue to see demand for ready-to-eat products, not just from our diaspora members, but also from mainstream consumers,” said Edwards as she addressed JAMPRO’s ‘Charting the Route to Success: Developing for Export’ webinar.
“Export offers significant opportunities for local companies in agro-processing, and we can see how crucial it is to boosting the growth of the Jamaican economy,” Edwards added.
She said that there is further opportunity to tap into the high demand for items such as canned ackee, breadfruit, mango, yam, cassava and sweet potato. Export opportunities also exist for turmeric, ginger, Scotch bonnet pepper, pimento, pepper mash/flakes, herbs and spices and other value-added products.
Locally made sauces are said to be in high demand in the diaspora.
Edwards said there is also a great market for beverages, sauces and marinades, adding that baked goods, jams and jellies are also lucrative, with high demand from overseas Jamaicans.
“The diaspora represents a sizable market base of over 1.1 million members in the United States, over 800,000 in the United Kingdom, and more than 309,000 diaspora members in Canada. You can also consider targeting sub-markets that are aligned [to the tourism industry] in some cities in these countries,” she pointed out.