KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Government has completed the standards, which dictate that all brown sugar in the local retail market be adequately packaged and labelled.

The Compulsory Standards (Declaration of Standard Specification) (Brown Sugar [Revised]) Order, 2016, was signed by Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Karl Samuda and gazetted yesterday.

Samuda said the revised standards, which revokes the 1985 Order, address concerns of impurities in brown cane sugar; and are in line with a strategy to move the country’s sugar industry towards world class operation.

He was making a statement during a media briefing at the ministry’s offices yesterday.

The standards set out requirements for lower percentage moisture; that all producers and pre-packers have an approved food safety system in place; as well as for compulsory labelling.

Samuda said appropriate labelling, which includes net content, instructions for use, name and address of manufacturers, distributors, importers or vendors, will serve to guarantee traceability of the product.

The standards were completed following discussions by the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) with targeted stakeholders, including sugar producers, sugar re-packagers, and members of supermarket chains, sugar regulators and marketing companies.

Further awareness sessions will be conducted with stakeholders and the general public following gazetting.

The standards will come into effect on July 1, 2017 for packers of brown cane sugar and on January 1, 2020 for producers and manufacturers of brown cane sugar.

 “It is vitally important that those involved in the industry understand what it means to protect the industry,” the minister said, outlining the value of the sugar industry to Jamaican society and economy.

He said structures in the industry will be adjusted to better manage the trade of sugar. This includes the requirement that only approved entities will be allowed to buy and sell bulk sugar packaged in 50 kilogram bags; and that registered entities will be allowed to re-pack sugar into smaller five kilogram bags or less.

Samuda said all sugar in commercial trade will need to be appropriately labelled to the Jamaican Standard Specification for Labelling of Pre-Packaged foods (JS CRS 5:2010); the Jamaican Standard Specification for the Labelling of Commodities, Part 1: General principles (JS 1 Part 1:1992); and the Jamaican Standard Specification for the Labelling of Commodities, Part 20: Labelling of Pre-packaged goods (JS 1 Part 20: 1988).