Island pushing to export pork to Asian nation

 By Durrant Pate

The Jamaican government has signalled its intent to pursue greater cooperation with its Chinese counterpart in several areas of trade.

In particular, Jamaica is seeking to export pork to China and is seeking help from the government of the People’s Republic of China to achieve this endeavor. Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Audley Shaw has already exchanged ideas on the matter with Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica Tian Qi.

This was done during a virtual meeting between the two at the New Kingston offices of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce last Friday (October 30).

Shaw advised the ambassador that Jamaica is looking to expand on the products that the country has started to export to China – that is, rum, coffee and lobster.

In addition to these products, Shaw said Jamaica is looking to add other produce such as tuna and pork.

“In addition to lobster, there is another area through joint-venture partnership which we are looking to collaborate. This is in deep sea fishing,” Shaw noted.

He said the Government of Jamaica sees the significant contribution that the development of the tuna industry can make to the diversification of the Jamaican economy and exports.

Given China’s advancement in this area and its propensity for sustainable fisheries, Shaw declared that Jamaicas want to advance this area for bilateral cooperation.

“We want to make Jamaica the place of choice for tuna,’ Shaw said.

He informed Ambassador Qi that “Jamaica also has the ability to significantly expand the capacity of our pork industry to supply the China market”.

Dr Norman Dunn, state minister in the commerce ministry, reiterated the need for greater cooperation between China and Jamaica.

“We believe that the opportunity for us is right now for us to increase our trade exponentially. We are hoping that the discussions today will bring forth some of the products that we can offer to China,” Dunn said.

He noted that opportunity also exists for bilateral relationships and partnerships with manufacturers in China in the island’s free zones and that both countries can achieve a far greater trade balance rather than the significant trade imbalance that now exist.

In concluding, Shaw said Jamaica and China have enjoyed long-standing trade relations at the bilateral level, and that China is Jamaica’s 4th largest trading partner behind the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, in addition to being the country’s largest trading partner in the English-speaking Caribbean.

For his part, Ambassador Qi was elated at the prospect of further collaboration between Jamaica and China. He said he was looking forward to continuing the great relationship that Jamaica and China enjoy.

To this end, the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce is to have further discussions with the embassy.

According to the Ambassador, “Jamaica is a small country in size, but is very great in culture. Jamaica has great potential for that service industry product to export to China. There is also the potential for Jamaica’s agricultural and value-added products for export to China.”