Government to Reduce Cess on Conch

The cess on local conch exports is to be reduced this year from US 75 cents per pound, to US 50 cents per pound.
The announcement was made on Friday, May 6 by Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, following a tour of Rainforest Seafoods’ 30,000 square foot, state-of-the-art processing plant, located at 67 Slipe Road, Kingston.
The Minister said reduction of the cess is geared towards encouraging those who are interested in investing in the industry and “who are making the kinds of investment to take conch from the stage it is today to a more sophisticated level, where products can be packaged and sold internationally”.
The Minister also pointed out that this is the last year that quotas for the harvesting of are going to be allocated under the current arrangements.
According to Minister Samuda, next year, the level of investment in the industry, whether it is conch, or citrus, or any other form of business activity, will weigh heavily on the degree to which the allocation for quota is fulfilled.
Minster Samuda described the tour of the Slipe Road processing plant as one of the most impressive he has ever had. He lauded chief executive officer, Brian Jardim, for having the foresight to see the potential in agro-industry, especially in the fish-based sector.
Rainforest Seafoods is the Caribbean’s largest supplier of premium quality seafood and distributes over 400 types of fish, shellfish, and other seafood. The company employs over 500 persons.