Jamaica ramps up hot pepper exports with international standards push

Jamaica is advancing efforts to strengthen its hot pepper industry through a major project focused on meeting international sanitary and phytosanitary standards. The initiative, which began in May 2022 and concludes in July 2025, is led by the FAO in partnership with the Jamaican government and the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, with funding from the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF). It aims to boost exports to the EU, UK, Canada, and regional markets.

Key parishes involved include Clarendon, St Ann, St Mary, St Elizabeth, and St Catherine. A major goal is to improve the technical and resource capacity of farmers, inspectors, and regulators involved in pest control and food safety.

To support this, essential equipment has been distributed to stakeholders. Farmers received surveillance tools to help with early pest detection and better field management. Extension officers at RADA were also equipped with monitoring tools to enhance support services. Meanwhile, PQPI teams received devices to improve the accuracy of pest identification and diagnostics.

Distributed materials include 40 magnifying glasses, 15 respirators with 30 cartridges, and a total of 80 sticky traps in blue and yellow. These upgrades are expected to boost hot pepper production, improve compliance with export standards, and expand market opportunities for Jamaican growers.

source: loopnews.com

photo: melindastrauss.com