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The agricultural sector currently contributes approximately
7.1 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while employing
18.9 per cent of the country’s labour force, despite
taking a severe beating from the flood rains of May to
June and September to October last year. The sector is
however, now back on the recovery path, with the assistance
of the government and the multilateral agencies. Although
it faces stiff competition from cheaper imported products,
due to the liberalisation of the economy, there are also
tremendous opportunities for the sector to expand production
for both the domestic and export markets.
Jamaica’s agricultural exports have generated
foreign exchange earnings of some US$100 million (J$5
billion) per annum, during the last five years, with
the bulk of these amounts coming from the United States
(U.S.), and the United Kingdom (U.K.). The government
is currently taking steps to improve the sector’s
efficiency and foreign exchange earnings potential,
through the application of modern technology and diversification
of its export base.
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