Export Saint Lucia over the last few months has embarked on a series of interventions aimed at diversifying the export basket and seeking new markets for goods and services from Saint Lucia.
The Agency, the national trade export promotion agency of the Government of Saint Lucia, continues to work assiduously with producers of high quality goods and services which meet the required standards for various export markets.
Currently, even with a noticeable decline in exports of agri-produce, owing to the after effect of Tropical Storm Bret, year-to-date domestic exports are trending similarly to 2022, confirming that exports have returned to pre-covid levels.
The manufacturing and construction sectors have both out-performed 2022 so far and that trend is expected to continue with most of September and an entire quarter left in the calendar year.
Following the decline of the market in the UK for Saint Lucia bananas, the Agency was tasked with finding a new home for our green gold.
Research-led missions to neighbouring islands revealed that the region could absorb and even surpass the volume of bananas which would have otherwise been destined for the UK.
Islands such as Antigua, Barbados, St Kitts and Trinidad were identified for specific high demand for Saint Lucia Bananas.
These and other regional markets have also shown high demand for other “non-banana” produce, inclung plantain, coconuts, mangoes, dasheen, cucumbers and sea-moss.
Saint Lucia sea-moss continues to be a high performer as exports in 2023 are expected to surpass that of 2022 according to current statistics.
New markets and continued growing demand has kept Saint Lucia sea-moss top-of mind, in high demand internationally.
The Government of Saint Lucia, through the agency, has injected technical and financial assistance to the sea-moss subsector.
This assistance has allowed for the renovation of the Praslin Sea-moss Farmers Cooperative facility and provision of drying tables to more than seventy (70) sea-moss farmers.
CEO of Export Saint Lucia, Sunita Daniel, indicated that “Due to the passage of Tropical Storm Bret and higher than normal temperatures, the ability to meet the demand in export markets has been badly affected because of low supply.” Ms Daniel stated that “while this may be the case, the buyers that we have secured and the feedback from the Ministry of Agriculture on production levels augurs well for Saint Lucia and our farmers. The outlook for regional exports of bananas and other produce for the remainder of the year and 2024 is very positive.”
The Export potential in the region for other manufactured goods is also very high. The CEO commented that “We also set out to market and find buyers for our manufactured goods. We have very strong interest and there are quite a few deals currently in negotiation for beverages, health and wellness products, condiments and value-added sea-moss products. Saint Lucia products, both agriculture and manufactured, are in high demand regionally and internationally. We look forward to finalizing a number of new contracts before the end of the year.”
Export Saint Lucia is very optimistic about the potential of the region as reachable and viable trade partners.
The Northern Caribbean have emerged as a very high target market while traditional partners like Dominica, Trinidad and Barbados remain particularly strong.
SOURCE: Export Saint Lucia
We should increase our cultivation and production of turmeric, ginger and cinnamon for export. There is a market for these items since they have medicinal value. Tons of mangoes rot on the ground every year. We need to find creative ways to market mango products.
@Peter Paul. If you know so much about the market and the value of the produce you mentioned, I only hope you are or will be the first to take up your hoe, plough, etc. and get involved in agriculture. If you are not, then keep shut about “there is a market for these items.”
True what you said Peter, no sooner these items get on the Shelf, they disappear; I crush raw Ginger about three times a week at Tea time; fantastic.
Well all said and done but we should focus more on curtailing our import of certain produce that can be grown locally while enhancing our agriculture sector. Grow what we need and eat what we grow campaign should be in full effect. Some things can be mass produce in greenhouse to meet our demands. The production of flour can be made from breadfruit and dasheen, many of our local fruits can be processed for juices to sell to supermarkets, and provide a nutritional alternative to school lunches. Cash crops such as poppya and pineapples should be grown for export with our bananas to our Caribbean neighbors or in the Caricom community. We are not trying hard enough to educate our young people on the benefits of farming, agriculture science should be part of the curriculum, our farmers must be given the incentives to ventures into these agriculture avenues. It’s imperitive, we must invest in our own food security and cut our import dependency.
It is heartening to know that our agricultural products and by-products are being exported regionally – this should’ve been done over 50 years ago! Also keep a feast on the home front for some basic agro processing. Why do we have MANGO JUICE from BARBADOS being sold here? Makes no sense to me – when we have the fruits here going to waste!!
For once I have to vehemently AGREE with @TMHLH for his positive comments! (Bad spelling and all.) His views are on point!
Come to think of it – maybe Barbados BUYS fruits from St Lucia to add to their (imported from other islands) supply? Could be …