KINGSTON, Jamaica — Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Stephen Wedderburn has reiterated Jamaica’s commitment to expand export of produce and products to the United Kingdom.

Wedderburn was representing Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Karl Samuda, at the opening ceremony of the UK Food and Beverage Exhibition yesterday.

Describing Jamaica’s trade performance over the last few decades as lacklustre, Wedderburn said the history of Jamaica indicates that the periods of our highest economic growth were periods in which export earnings increased.

In a release from the ministry Friday, Wedderburn said that Jamaica has been expanding its export platform to facilitate the growth in the export of both traditional and non-traditional produce and products. 

He added that Jamaica was committed to satisfying customer demand in the UK and wider EU market for items such as bananas, mangoes, yams and sweet potatoes.

The chief technical director also welcomed the representatives from 30 British companies who were participating in the exhibition and assured them of Jamaica’s commitment to ensuring the implementation and observation of the best practices in both exporting and importing goods and services.

Other participants in the three-day food and beverage event, which was  organised by the British High Commission, included representatives from Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, and local companies such as Red Stripe and LASCO.