Editing Economy of Jamaica (section)

==Primary industries==

===Agriculture===
Agricultural production is an important contributor to Jamaica's economy. However, it is vulnerable to extreme weather, such as [[hurricane]]s and to competition from neighbouring countries such as the USA. Other difficulties faced by farmers include thefts from the farm, known as [[praedial larceny]].<ref name="FAO">{{cite web |title=Praedial larceny in the Caribbean |url=http://www.fao.org/3/as086e/as086e.pdf |website=FAO: Subregional office for the Caribbean |access-date=4 June 2019 |archive-date=7 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607003835/http://www.fao.org/3/as086e/as086e.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>  Agricultural production accounted for 7.4% of GDP in 1997, providing employment for nearly a quarter of the country.<ref name="nationsencyclopedia.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/Jamaica-AGRICULTURE.html|title=Jamaica Agriculture, Information about Agriculture in Jamaica|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=3 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503144933/http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/Jamaica-AGRICULTURE.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Jamaica's agriculture, together with forestry and fishing, accounted for about 6.6% of GDP in 1999. [[Sugar]] has been produced in Jamaica for centuries, it is the nation's dominant agricultural export.<ref name="nationsencyclopedia.com"/> Sugar is produced in nearly every [[parish]]. The production of raw sugar in the year 2000 was estimated at 175,000 tons, a decrease from 290,000 tons in 1978.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Jamaica-AGRICULTURE.html|title=Agriculture - Jamaica - import, export, crops|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=4 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504210717/http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Jamaica-AGRICULTURE.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
Jamaican agriculture has been less prominent in GDP in the 2000s than other industries, hitting an all-time low between 2004 and 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://trading-economics.com/jamaica/gdp-from-agriculture|title=Jamaica GDP from Agriculture|website=Trading Economics|access-date=29 November 2017}}{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> This may have been due to a reaction to increased competition as international trade policies were enacted. For example, as NAFTA was enacted in 1993, a significant amount of Caribbean exports to the United States diminished, being out competed by Latin American exports.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ictsd.org/bridges-news/bridges/news/caribbean-basin-struggles-in-naftas-shadow-0|title=Caribbean Basin Struggles in NAFTA's Shadow|website=International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development|publisher=International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development Organization|access-date=30 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201030952/https://www.ictsd.org/bridges-news/bridges/news/caribbean-basin-struggles-in-naftas-shadow-0|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Another example is the Banana Import Regime's 3rd phase, in which EU nations had first given priority in banana imports to previously colonized nations. Under pressure by the World Trade Organization, the EU policy was altered to provide a non-discriminatory trade agreement. Jamaica's banana industry was easily outpriced by American companies exporting Latin American goods.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2010/433852/EXPO-INTA_ET(2010)433852_EN.pdf|title=The EU Banana Regime: Evolution And Implications of its Recent Changes|publisher=European Parliament|access-date=30 November 2017|archive-date=22 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222053958/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2010/433852/EXPO-INTA_ET(2010)433852_EN.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Jamaica's agriculture industry is now bouncing back, growing from being 6.6% of GDP to 7.2%.<ref name = ciaworldfactbook/>

Sugar formed 7.1% of the exports in 1999 and Jamaica made up about 4.8% of the total production of sugar in the Caribbean. Sugar is also used for the production of by-products such as molasses, rum and some wallboard is made from [[bagasse]].

[[Banana]] production in 1999 was 130,000 tons. Bananas formed 2.4% of the exports in 1999 and Jamaica formed around 7.5% of the total production of banana in the Caribbean. Jamaica stopped exporting banana in 2008 after suffering from several years of hurricanes that devastated the plantations.

[[Coffee]] is mainly grown around the [[Blue Mountains (Jamaica)|Blue Mountains]] and in hilly areas. One type in particular, [[Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee]], is considered among the best in the world because at those heights in the Blue Mountains, the cooler climate causes the berries to take longer to ripen and the beans develop more of the substances which on roasting give coffee its flavor. Coffee formed 1.9% of exports in 1999. The picking season lasts from August to March. The coffee is exported from [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]].

[[Cocoa bean|Cocoa]] is grown throughout Jamaica and local sales absorb about 1/3 of the output to be made into instant drinks and confectionery. [[Citrus fruit]] is mainly grown in the central parts of Jamaica, particularly between the elevations of 1,000-2,500 feet. The picking season lasts from November to April. Two factories in [[Bog Walk]] produce fruit juices, canned [[fruit]], essential [[oil]]s and [[marmalade]]. [[Coconut]]s are grown on the northern and eastern coasts, which provide enough [[copra]] to supply factories to make butterine, [[margarine]], [[lard]], edible [[oil]] and laundry [[soap]].

[[Vanilla]] is also grown.

Other export crops are [[pimento]], [[ginger]], [[tobacco]], [[sisal]] and other fruit are exported. [[Rice]] is grown around swampy areas around the Black River & around Long Bay in Hanover and Westmoreland parishes for local consumption.

As tastes have changed in Jamaica in favor of more meat and [[convenience food|packaged food]] the national food import bill has grown to the point that it threatens the health of the economy. The government has responded by encouraging gardening and farming, a response which has had limited success. For example, the percentage of potatoes grown locally has increased, but imports of french fries have continued at a high level.<ref name=NYT80313>{{cite news|title=As Cost of Importing Food Soars, Jamaica Turns to the Earth|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/world/americas/as-cost-of-importing-food-soars-jamaica-turns-to-the-earth.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220103/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/world/americas/as-cost-of-importing-food-soars-jamaica-turns-to-the-earth.html |archive-date=2022-01-03 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=4 August 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=3 August 2013|author=Damien Cave}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===Animal husbandry===

[[File:Cow patch 20230605 140614.jpg|thumb|Cows Grazing, Saint Ann Parish 2023]]
Pastures form a good percentage of the land in Jamaica. Many properties specialize in cattle rearing. Livestock holdings include 400,000 head of cattle, 440,000 goats and 180,000 pigs. Dairying has increased since the erection of a [[condensed milk]] factory at Bog Walk in 1940. Even so, the supply of dairy products is not enough for local requirements and there are large imports of [[powdered milk]], [[butter]] and [[cheese]].

===Fishing===

[[File:WhiteRiverVillage20221019 134112.jpg|thumb|left|White River Fishing Village is in Ocho Rios, St. Ann]]

The [[fishing industry]] grew during the 1900s, primarily from the focus on inland fishing. Several thousand fishermen make a living from fishing. The shallow waters and cays off the south coast are richer than the northern waters. Other fishermen live on the [[Pedro Bank|Pedro Cays]], {{convert|80|mi|km}} to the south of Jamaica.
Jamaica supplies about half of its fish requirements; major imports of frozen and salted fish are imported from the United States and Canada.

The total catch in 2000 was 5,676 tons, a decrease from 11,458 tons in 1997; the catch was mainly marine, with freshwater [[carp]], [[Barbel (fish)|barbel]], etc., crustaceans & molluscs.

===Forestry===

By the late 1890, only {{convert|185000|ha|acre|abbr=off}} of Jamaica's original {{convert|1000000|ha|acre|abbr=off}} of forest remained. Roundwood production was 881,000 cu m (31.1 million cu ft) in 2000. About 68% of the timber cut in 2000 was used as fuel wood while 32% was used for industrial use. The forests that once covered Jamaica now exist only in mountainous areas. They only supply 20% of the island timber requirements. The remaining forest is protected from further exploitation. Other accessible mountain areas are being reforested, mainly with [[pine]]s, mahoe and [[mahogany]].

===Mining===

[[File:Windalco, Alumina plant.jpg|thumb|Windalco, Alumina plant in the background (Kirkvine, Manchester)]]Jamaica was the third-leading producer of [[bauxite]] and [[alumina]] in 1998, producing 12.6 million tons of bauxite, accounting for 10.4% of world production, and 3.46 million tons of alumina, accounting for 7.4% of world production. 8,540 million tons of bauxite was mined in 2012 and 10,200 million tons of bauxite in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bauxite and Alumina |url=https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/bauxite/mcs-2012-bauxi.pdf |website=minerals.usgs.gov |access-date=19 November 2018 |date=January 2012 |archive-date=7 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707190815/https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/bauxite/mcs-2012-bauxi.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>	

Mining and quarrying made up 4.1% of the nation's gross domestic product in 1999. Bauxite and alumina formed 55.2% of exports in 1999 and are the second-leading money earner after tourism. Jamaica has reserves of over 2 billion tonnes, which are expected to last 100 years. Bauxite is found in the central parishes of St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, St. Catherine, St. Ann, and Trelawny. There are four alumina plants and six mines.

Jamaica has deposits of several million tons of [[gypsum]] on the southern slopes of the Blue Mountains. Jamaica produced 330,441 tons of gypsum in the year 2000,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Jamaica-MINING.html|title=Mining - Jamaica - export, sector|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=8 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208210547/http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Jamaica-MINING.html|url-status=live}}</ref> some of which was used in the local cement industry and in the manufacturing of building materials.

Other minerals present in Jamaica include [[marble]], [[limestone]], and [[silica]], as well as [[ore]]s of [[copper]], [[lead]], [[zinc]], [[manganese]] and [[iron]]. Some of these are worked in small quantities. [[Petroleum]] has been sought, but so far none has been found.