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In April 2014, the Dominican Republic mission was reciprocated
when 12 private-sector firms undertook a mission to Jamaica to
participate in Expo Jamaica. Caribbean Export provided support
to CEI-RD, Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, and JAMPRO as
organisers of the mission. During the four-day mission, 60 B2B
meetings were held between Jamaican and Dominican Republic
firms. Expo Jamaica was an opportunity for participants to
increase their awareness of the Jamaican private sector and the
products manufactured in the local economy. The participants
were also taken on pharmacy and supermarket tours in the city
to allow for an evaluation of competitive products currently in
the market, and concluded with a private dialogue session with
the their Embassy in Jamaica.
In response to a request from JAMPRO, the Agency also supported
the participation of five fresh produce buyers from Europe
in attending Expo Jamaica. With the objective of facilitating
negotiations between European buyers and Jamaican suppliers
of fresh produce and processed foods, the occasion was also
used as an opportunity to understand the requirements of both
EU produce and processed food buyers, in particular European
consumer expectations and regulatory requirements regarding
packaging and labelling.
In addition to attending in the Expo, the European buyers also
held discussions on the entry requirements to the European
Union (EU) market, participated in site visits and meetings with
Government, quasi-government, and private sector agencies.
The mission was executed within the context of a private-
public collaborative approach between Jamaican farmers and
processed food companies, and JAMPRO, the JamaicanMinistry of
Agriculture, and the Jamaica Agriculture Investment Corporation.
The initiative provided direct buyer engagement opportunities
for exporters, and is in keeping with Caribbean Export’s objective
to create business opportunities within CARIFORUM member
states in order to promote the sectors that are readily positioned
to do business within the global context.
Barbados Small Business Week
The Small Business Association (SBA) in Barbados hosted the
10th annual Small Business Week in September 2013. Small
Business Week is the signature activity on the association’s
annual calendar, held to celebrate the achievements of members,
Supporting BSO Projects
and Programme Activities