80% of manufacturers and exporters saw a decline in productivity while 40% report supply disruptions

The Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) has carried out a survey showing the adverse impact of the recent no-movement days on manufacturers and exporters in Jamaica.

The survey was administered within JMEA membership to ascertain feedback on the effects being experienced by manufacturers and exporters, as a result of the no-movement days imposed by the Government

The highlight of the survey, which was completed at the end of August, was that as much as 80 per cent of members experienced a decline in productivity while 40 per cent of members indicated that their suppliers were severely hindered during the no-movement days.

The survey, which was administered to ascertain feedback on the effects being experienced by manufacturers and exporters, as a result of the imposition of the no movement days, revealed that 83 per cent of members indicated that they expect to see a decline in their company’s revenue for August 2021 period, due to the no-movement days.

The remaining 17 per cent were unsure about how the no movement days would impact their revenue.

The survey identified the following as key challenges being experienced:

• Staff inability to access public transportation.
• Scaled down operations/productions.
• Inability to access food outlets for staff present on no movement days.
• Reduced production days resulting in reduction of sales revenue.
• Difficulty servicing clients on no movement days. 
• Delivery challenges for raw materials leading to delays.
• Cancellation or reschedule of orders/commitments to customers.  

In commenting on the survey findings, JMEA President John Mahfood states that “it is clear from the results of this survey that the four weeks of three and a half days down is having a serious negative impact on our manufacturers and exporters, especially the MSMEs”.

Said Mahfood: “We understand that the Government is in a precarious position at this time, as it tries to balance the interest of protecting lives while safeguarding the operations of the economy.”

Continuing, he added that the JMEA is heartened to see that the sacrifice of all Jamaicans during the past four weeks has had a positive impact on reducing the spread of the virus.

However, Mahfood emphasised that, “we now, therefore, believe that it is time for the Government to re-evaluate the current situation with a view to reducing the lockdowns”.

He added: “At the same time, the authorities must continue to strictly enforce measures that are in place such as, the wearing of masks, social distancing and adhering to curfew hours.”

Additionally, he argued that the Government must seek to significantly increase the number of vaccination sites across the island.