Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon Audley Shaw, is calling Jamaica’s performance of the export sector since the outbreak of COVID-19 outstanding, noting that the total value of manufacturing exports by Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (JMEA) members for the period January-May 2020 was $12.6 billion, representing a J$74 million increase over the same period in 2019.
The Minister said that based on a report from the JMEA listing some 20 Jamaican companies, the country has not only been able to replace some imported products such as hand sanitizers with locally made brands but several companies have recorded increased exports to both traditional and new markets in the UK, Canada, the US and several Caribbean countries.
Making his contribution to the 2020/2021 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, June 16, the Minister said “that their necessity has mothered our invention and exports of goods ranging from sanitizers, cleaning agents, toilet paper, spices and seasoning, bananas, cakes, flour, ackee, dasheen, unsweetened biscuits and flavoured milk recording notable increases”.
He informed further that “the value of exports to the US increased by J$616 million to J$5.1 billion during the January-May period, up from J$4.5 billion in the same period in 2019”.
“These kinds of export cannot stop,” Minister Shaw added.
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