KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – A senior official of the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA) is urging local businesses to proactively diversify their markets, exploring both regional and international opportunities, in light of evolving global trade dynamics and recent trade tensions involving the United States (US).
JSEZA’s senior director of Regulations, Policy, Monitoring, and Enforcement, Ainsley Brown, pointed to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a particularly promising market for Jamaican exports. He emphasized the importance of thinking outside the box and embracing new possibilities.
“We live in extraordinary times, so you may need to be doing extraordinary things,” Brown said as he delivered a presentation at the Business Acceleration Centre (BAC) Accelerator Series.
Browne spoke of the remarkable growth in exports from Jamaica to the UAE, which surged by more than 5,000 percent between 2021 and 2022. Furthermore, Jamaica has narrowed its trade deficit with the UAE by 54.18 percent, demonstrating significant progress in bilateral trade relations.
While he acknowledged that the UAE currently exports more to Jamaica than vice versa, Brown noted the success of Jamaican products in the UAE market, particularly coffee and hot pepper sauce.
“We went there, tested the market…. and gave away samples of our products…. We had to restrict the amount of hot pepper sauce we gave out.
It wasn’t just Jamaicans coming in and buying; it was people from all types of ethnic groups… people who never tried the Jamaican hot sauce, tried it, and returned the next day to buy more,” Browne added.
Brown noted the demand for other Jamaican products, such as seasonings and canned ackee, adding that Jamaica is exporting waste oil to the UAE for different processes.
He said that many exports to the United Kingdom and the European Union ultimately reach the UAE through informal channels.
As a result, he is urging businesses to here “cut out the middleman” and directly target the UAE market to maximize profits and fully capitalize on the growing demand for Jamaican products.
Brown said that the UAE offers a lucrative and receptive market for Jamaican goods, pointing out that proactive engagement can lead to significant economic benefits for Jamaican businesses.
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