Jamaica’s Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Pearnel Charles Jr., says the conflict in Eastern Europe presents an opportunity for Jamaica to become more self-sufficient in food production.
He said the effect of the conflict is that “there could be challenges but also significant opportunities for us to shift our dietary focus to more of our local products like cassava and yam”.
Ukraine is a major global food supplier, and Russia and Ukraine, combined, account for a significant portion of global wheat and grain exports.
In 2019, the Observatory of Economic Complexity listed Russia as the number one exporter of fertilizer and wheat, while information from the United States Energy Information Administration indicated that in 2020, Russia was the world’s third-largest producer of petroleum behind the United States and Saudi Arabia.
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine could disrupt food production and supply, and coupled with increased economic sanctions against Russia, would result in an increase in prices for vital commodities.
Minister Charles said the Government has initiated an assessment on the potential impact of the situation on the local economy.
“We recognize that Russia, as a major supplier of fertilizer, may have a significant impact globally. We may also see a significant impact, with an increase in the cost of fuel and freight shipment costs. This may also impact us here in Jamaica,” he said at a recent JIS Think Tank.
Charles noted that the potential threat of price increases strengthens the Government’s focus on boosting local production capacity. He said Jamaica is also looking to leverage its regional partnerships as part of the process to build self-sufficiency.
“I recently had discussions with our Cuban partners to hear what they are doing there. We are also looking into the mechanisms that they are using to produce fertilizer and their own food and [exploring] the potential for insect farming as an option for animal feed,” he said.
In the meantime, the Chairman of the Board of the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), Lieutenant Commander George Overton, said there is also potential for the Jamaica’s fisheries to fill gaps in demand due to the conflict.
“On that side of the world, there are significant fish producers. With the conflict taking place, they may not be able to fulfill the demands. Therefore, we have the opportunity, if we can ramp up production, to fill some of those gaps,” he said.
As it relates to exploring options to mitigate rising fuel costs, Lt. Commander Overton indicated that this is part of measures being undertaken to ensure the sustainability of the sector.
“What we put in place must be able to meet the changing environments that our operators are in, whether it is by providing more efficient and reliable equipment or putting in place innovative technologies that will create more reliable and efficient sources of energy,” he said.
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