Banana Board looks to increase Jamaican banana exports
Mrs. Conie noted that exports have been increasing steadily since being resumed in 2011 after a three-year break consequent to the sector’s devastation by Hurricane Gustav in 2008.
Exports increased to 211 tonnes in 2014; 312 tonnes in 2015; and 410 tonnes of the fruit were shipped in 2016.
Mrs. Conie noted, however, that Jamaica’s ability to capitalise on and fulfill the growing overseas demand for bananas is contingent, to a great extent, on local suppliers and producers attaining GLOBAL Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification. Part of their initiative to increase exports has to do with helping growers meet these standards.
“So, we expect by the end of this year that we will be doing even more where exporting is concerned, because we will then be able to access some of those (new) markets. We believe that if we get larger volumes and if we can ship in more feasible methods, like by containers, then the profits will be much better,” she noted.
source: jis.gov.jm
