Business | Market: Boosting Jamaica's Exports

Jamaica continues to make strides in carving out a niche in the U.S. market with a range of produce that holds both cultural and commercial appeal. Carita Jamaica's review of current exports and challenges highlights significant opportunities for improvement and expansion across key crops.

Unique Jamaican Produce in the US Market

The following Jamaican-grown items currently have unique recognition and demand in the U.S.:

Yellow Yam and Negro Yam
Scotch Bonnet Peppers
Ackee
Avocado (Pear)
Breadfruit
Dasheen
Turmeric
Mangoes

These products are closely tied to Caribbean culinary traditions, giving them a natural advantage in diasporic and ethnic markets.

Breadfruit – The Need for Quality and Off-Season Supply

Breadfruit stands out with high demand but poses several challenges:

Quality Control Issues: A distinction must be made between green and roasted breadfruit during selection and processing.
Cross-Island Sourcing: Finding consistently high-quality produce requires island-wide effort.
Impact of Quality: High quality drives demand, while poor quality severely damages market interest.
Seasonality and Inventory: There's a need to build up frozen inventory during harvest season to meet off-season demand.

Dasheen – Inconsistent Supply Threatens Market Position

Dasheen, a starchy root vegetable similar to taro, is in demand but suffers from supply inconsistency:

Market Access: Securing space in U.S. bins (shelf space) is crucial.
Soil Quality Matters: There is a preference for dryland produce over wetland variants due to texture and shelf life.
The phrase "There is a preference for dryland produce over wetland variants due to texture" refers to the difference in quality between dasheen (or other root crops) grown in dry, elevated areas versus those grown in wet, swampy, or lowland areas.
- Dryland dasheen (grown in well-drained, elevated soil) tends to have a firmer texture, which:
  - Makes it more appealing for cooking
  - Holds up better during storage and shipping
  - Is preferred by consumers and retailers
- Wetland dasheen (grown in waterlogged or marshy soil) often has a softer or mushier texture, which:
  - Can spoil faster
  - Is harder to handle or process
  - May be less desirable in culinary uses
So, U.S. buyers lean toward dryland-grown produce because its texture is better suited for the market's expectations and logistics.
Call to Action: The Jamaican government is urged to promote dasheen cultivation in high-altitude regions like Manchester, Trelawny, Clarendon, and St. Elizabeth, where the crop thrives.

Turmeric – Jamaica’s Potent Yet Undervalued Crop

Jamaican turmeric is one of the most potent varieties globally but is undervalued due to quality issues:

Competition: The U.S. Northeast sources turmeric from Fiji, Thailand, and Jamaica.
Reputation Gap: Despite its potency, Jamaican turmeric is considered second grade because of poor presentation and inconsistent quality.
Wild vs. Cultivated: Jamaica mainly relies on wild turmeric.
Strategic Recommendation: Encouraging commercial cultivation and identifying optimal lands could allow Jamaica to dominate this segment.

Mangoes – High Demand, Room for Expansion

Mangoes such as East Indian, St. Julian (‘Julie’), and Bombay are highly sought after in the U.S.:

Export Success: Carita Jamaica, in partnership with Dawson Trading and Seasons Farm Fresh, has successfully exported mangoes primarily to New York, Maryland, and South Florida.
Untapped Markets: States like Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Georgia remain underserved.
Action Plan:
- Encourage planting in approved zones like St. Thomas.
- Expand the number of certified farms in other high-yield regions.
- Streamline export processes to ensure fresh, high-quality arrivals.

Conclusion

Jamaica has the potential to increase its agricultural footprint in the U.S. by addressing supply chain inefficiencies, enhancing quality control, promoting cultivation in optimal regions, and expanding access to currently underserved markets. Strategic government support and private sector collaboration are essential to capitalize on these opportunities and elevate Jamaica’s export profile.

Honorable Mentions

"Few Jamaicans seem to know that Jamaican ginger is 6–8 times more potent than Chinese ginger and sells for as much as seven times more." - David Mullings, Growing the Jamaican Economy: Agriculture

"In 2008, I was astonished when I visited Walt Disney World’s Epcot in Orlando with my wife and heard them talking about the reasons why Jackfruit was so good during the Spaceship Earth ride. There were at least four crops that were mentioned that I knew from Jamaica!" - David Mullings, Growing the Jamaican Economy: Agriculture

Reference

Agro-Invest: Crop Profile Financials

Agro Parks

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