Status of National and Regional Marketing Intelligence and Development Systems

Status of National and Regional Marketing Intelligence and Development Systems

in Jamaica

(A) Role of the Ministry of Agriculture in terms of Marketing Intelligence, Trade Facilitation and Quality Assurance

Marketing Intelligence

The Ministry of Agriculture acts as a source of both primary and secondary information in the form of published materials and public documents for companies and individuals involved in the marketing of agricultural produce. Much of the marketing intelligence information about developments in the marketing environment is collected from the Ministry of Agriculture own personnel - Extension Officers, Marketing Agents etc. The Marketing Division of the Ministry and the Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA) is the principal agent responsible for the marketing of agricultural produce in Jamaica, but their are other Divisions that collects and analyze data that is used in the marketing process.

The following are some of the marketing information available from the Ministry: -

* Wholesale and retail market prices etc. for agricultural data and supply and demand condition of agricultural commodities. This information is analyzed and made available to the different stakeholders weekly through the print media.

* Situational outlook report for different agricultural produce.

* The Plant Quarantine section of the Ministry collects information on export and import volume and value; country of export etc. this information is then analyzed and a report produced for use by the Jamaica Exporter Association.

* The Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA) through its extension officers collects information on production, area reaped, yield and farm gate prices this information is analyzed by the Data Bank Division and quarterly and annual reports on all island estimates produced.

* The Economic Planning Division conducts an annual cost of production survey and produces an annual cost of production estimate. This information is distributed mainly through the RADA Parish Offices so that it can be accessible to farmers and other users of agricultural data.

* The Ministry through RADA has established an information system (Agricultural Business Information System) to provide information on crops and agricultural production, markets and stakeholders to support the business of agriculture. The system will benefit agricultural stakeholders such as - producers, operators (supermarkets etc.), facilitators (farm stores, banks) and monitors (government agencies, commodity boards etc.). It will assist in addressing problems facing agricultural stakeholders such as:-

Producers - difficulty in marketing produces

Operator - poor and inconsistent supply of produce

unstable, widely fluctuating produce prices

Facilitator - offering inputs that does not match the needs of producer or objectives of monitors

Monitor - intervention programmes that do not address stakeholders' problems

Trade Facilitation

(1) Provision of Plant Quarantine and Produce Inspection Services

The Marketing Division of the Ministry provides quarantine and produce inspection services for agricultural produce entering and leaving the island (use of phytosanitary and sanitary/health permits) to ensure that the agricultural produce entering and leaving the country is of high quality, and free from injurious pests and diseases.

(ii) Ministry of Agriculture/USDA Preclearance Programme

The Ministry manages the Preclearance Programme in accordance with the USDA Preclearance and Fumigation work Plan. The programme is a joint effort between the Ministry and the United States Department of Agriculture whereby commodities, which are precleared, are allowed entry into the United States without being inspected on arrival.

(iii) The Ministry has removed reference prices under WTO custom valuation system (invoice prices used in calculation of duties) and import licenses required for all agricultural products.

Quality Assurance

The Ministry through its Marketing Division has developed standards for agricultural commodities to ensure that it is not used to impede trade. Agricultural research studies