ST JAMES, Jamaica – More Jamaican agricultural products could soon be available on the shelves of major supermarkets and grocery stores in the United States (US).
In making the disclosure, US Ambassador to Jamaica, Luis Moreno said the process to facilitate this move has started, and should become a reality soon.
“Our team is working diligently to help Jamaican exporters get their agricultural products to the US to be on grocery shelves in the US,” he stated.
The ambassador was addressing the opening ceremony for the 16th staging of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Expo at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James last Friday.
Moreno also called on the Jamaican authorities to play their role in ensuring that if there are obstacles which could hinder that process, they should be removed.
“The Jamaican government has to carry part of the ball too. Through a partnership between the Jamaican Government and the US Department of Agriculture, Jamaica has pre-clearance to export 52 products to the United States and the Jamaican Government is working on adding mangoes,” he added.
The US Ambassador pointed out that despite his Government putting in measures to aid the process of exporting mangoes to the United States, those opportunities are still untapped.
“You are not exporting mangoes to the United States; you are not exporting mangoes to some place which desperately wants mangoes. We have laid out everything that you have to do to be able to do that, so it’s up to the Jamaican government and the exporters to get pass those three little things that the US Department of Agriculture is asking for and the market is all yours,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Moreno said over the last two decades, companies from America have invested billions of dollars into the local economy to establish and or expand their operations.
He pointed out that sectors such as the Business Processing Outsourcing, tourism and energy have benefitted from US investments.
He added that another company-Paradise Express Ferry plans to invest US$30 million in a maritime shuttle service between Ocho Rios, St Ann, Montego Bay, St James and Negril in Hanover/Westmoreland. (JIS)
