Jamaica is the third largest island in the Greater Antilles and the fourth largest in the Caribbean. Agriculture is one of its major sectors.
The sector currently contributes 7% to the GDP and employs 17% of the workforce, with 27% being female and 73% male. The island produces sugar, molasses, rum, bagasse, bananas, coffee, cocoa, citrus fruit, ground provisions, canned fruit, essential oils, marmalade, coconuts, Jamaican ackee, pimento, ginger, tobacco, beans, tomatoes, rice, poultry, pork, beef, goat meat and dairy products.
Regarding livestock, the country boasts substantial holdings. However meat and dairy products such as powdered milk, butter and cheese are not enough to meet local requirements for a growing population.
Jamaica supplies half of its fish requirements. It continues to employ a vast majority of workers in the agriculture sector, with over 14,000 registered fishermen in 2002. Exports include conch, and lobster.
Profile
Jamaica is the third largest island in the Greater Antilles and the fourth largest in the Caribbean. Agriculture is one of its major sectors.
The sector currently contributes 7% to the GDP and employs 17% of the workforce, with 27% being female and 73% male. The island produces sugar, molasses, rum, bagasse, bananas, coffee, cocoa, citrus fruit, ground provisions, canned fruit, essential oils, marmalade, coconuts, Jamaican ackee, pimento, ginger, tobacco, beans, tomatoes, rice, poultry, pork, beef, goat meat and dairy products.
Regarding livestock, the country boasts substantial holdings. However meat and dairy products such as powdered milk, butter and cheese are not enough to meet local requirements for a growing population.
Jamaica supplies half of its fish requirements. It continues to employ a vast majority of workers in the agriculture sector, with over 14,000 registered fishermen in 2002. Exports include conch, and lobster.
Investment opportunities
- Jamaica has greater resilience and potential for food security than most other Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as local substitutes for imported staples are widely produced and farmers have implemented successful coping and adaptation mechanisms at the farm-level through damage-reducing strategies
- Jamaica’s climate and landscape make it suitable for a wide array of products that can be developed and marketed for new markets
- Further development of the local fish sector could decrease the dependency on other markets, and also increase production for export purposes
- Creating niche markets for branded products such as Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is essential for the island’s export trade to develop
