Government Partners with FAO to Strengthen Int’l Competitiveness in Hot Pepper Industry

The Government has partnered with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to implement a project to strengthen the country’s international competitiveness in the hot pepper industry.

The project, titled ‘Improving Phytosanitary, Food Safety and Market Access Opportunities along the Hot Pepper Value Chain in Jamaica’, is expected to be completed by 2025.

It will also seek to strengthen the technical and resource capabilities of stakeholders to have consistent local and international market access and support the sustainable and resilience practices within the sector.

Speaking at the project’s launch, held at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), on April 19, FAO Representative to Jamaica, Dr. Crispim Moreira, said the organisation continues the joint effort with the Government of Jamaica to advance sustainable agriculture and strengthen international competitiveness in the hot pepper industry.

Jamaica is a major producer of hot peppers, which provides a significant source of income for many small-scale farmers.

However, despite pepper being a ‘hot commodity’ in local and international cuisines, the journey from soil to table is a long one, given the many risks that can compromise the safety of this delicacy throughout the process.

It is for this reason that “we will invest heavily in the technical and resource capacity of local research and regulatory bodies,” the FAO representative said.

“By focusing on research, we are eliminating constraints from the input stage through the availability of clean planting material and technologies to reduce spread of pests and diseases,” he added.

Through improvement of local capacity in phytosanitary and food-safety standards, all members of the value chain stand to benefit significantly.

“For farmers, improved standards can mean increased productivity and better market access, and for exporters it can mean easier access to international markets and increased revenue,” Dr. Moreira said.

Additionally, consumers can look forward to safer and higher-quality products.

Meanwhile, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, pointed out that collaborations such as these play a vital role in driving the industry to improve efficiency and quality along every stage of the value chain.

“To meet high-quality product demand, it requires sustained effort and collaboration among stakeholders with the implementation of sustainable and resilient farming practices,” he said.

With the project being launched at such a critical time, Senator Hill encouraged local investors and manufacturers to expand the product and service offerings and increase Jamaica’s exports.

Funding support for the project is being provided by the Standard and Trade Development Facility of the World Trade Organization.

Source: JIS