Dennis Crawford, International Trade Specialist and member of the Agriculture Trade Enforcement Advisory Mechanism
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES
NEWS RELEASE
January 5, 2022
ATEAM assists coffee distributor achieve compliance with new China export requirements
With the recent change in the People`s Republic of China`s policy regarding the importation of Blue Mountain coffee and other items, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MOAF), through its Agriculture Trade Enforcement Advisory Mechanism (ATEAM), was instrumental in Jamaican coffee distributor Carmo Trading obtaining compliance with the new requirements in the export of green coffee beans to China.
The new policy, which took effect on the 1st of January 2022, requires all green coffee beans entering China to be declared to its customs authorities in advance in order to be allowed to clear customs.
“We were instrumental in Carmo Trading obtaining a business license from the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority as well as obtaining documentation on declaration of conformity; registration of the supplying company`s information; and the manufacturing enterprise’s information, “ said Dennis Crawford, International Trade Specialist at the Ministry and member of the ATEAM.
The ATEAM was launched on September 2, 2021 by the MOAF and is a part of the Ministry’s commitment to optimize opportunities for Jamaica's export earnings from agricultural products. It is a government and business partnership that aims to remove unjustifiable trade restrictions that affect the growth of Jamaica's export.
“It is designed as a clientele-based initiative that will assist small and medium enterprises to resolve discriminatory trade practices that stymie the growth of Jamaica's exports and market share on the premise of technical and non-technical trade-related issues,” said Crawford.
Other achievements by the ATEAM include the establishment of strategic partnerships with the Jamaica’s Mission in Geneva, Switzerland , covering Italy, Austria, Turkey, Greece, Liechtenstein and Cyprus, honorary consuls in Rome, Athens, Istanbul, Ankara and Jamaica’s Embassy in China to obtain market access for Jamaican products.
Additionally, the ATEAM has disseminated information on export opportunities under the CARICOM Grant of Suspensions of the Common External Tariff, prepared and disseminated 10 export profiles of products with the greatest export potential to the world.
The ATEAM comprises representatives from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, JAMPRO, Bureau of Standards Jamaica, the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
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