At a recent webinar hosted by Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), stakeholders in the agro-processing and food and beverage manufacturing sectors were urged to consider the export market's potential. Shanique Edwards, Acting Manager for Agri-Business Exports at JAMPRO, highlighted the growing demand for ready-to-eat Jamaican products not only within the diaspora but also among mainstream consumers globally. With food export sales surpassing US$256 million by August 2023, Edwards emphasized the vast opportunities for local producers in exporting items like breadfruit, mango, yam, cassava, sweet potato, turmeric, ginger and other value-added products.
Edwards pointed out the importance of targeting the extensive diaspora market, which includes over 1.1 million members in the United States, 800,000 in the United Kingdom, and 309,000 in Canada, in addition to sub-markets related to the tourism industry in these regions. She advised companies interested in entering the export market to comply with international labelling standards and to adopt automation and blockchain technology to improve productivity, reduce costs, and meet safety and quality standards.
Source: jamaica-gleaner.com