KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Audley Shaw, is imploring Jamaican producers to design goods for expanding international markets that are interested in items from the island.

Addressing the Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (MSME) National Policy Implementation Committee (NPIC) quarterly meeting, held at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston today (September 25), Shaw said overseas markets are emerging every day, and they are looking for new items. “We have a lot of the new things that they are looking for,” Shaw said.

“Target them in a forensic way. Markets are out here, disposable income is expanding in a lot of developed countries, and they are looking for opportunities to purchase things,” the minister told the audience.

He said that the “landscape of opportunities” is not short, and the way forward rests on how “we come together and grasp these opportunities to expand and grow the export sector”.

Shaw said with the authorities in the United States recently giving approval for Jamaica to export mangoes to that country, much of the “bogus” fruit will have to give way to the genuine produce that the consumers want.

He also listed castor beans, coconut, and cannabis as being in high demand, and urged manufacturers to seize the vast opportunities that are available.