Jamaica’s economy recorded growth of 5.1 per cent for the July to September quarter of 2025, according to Director General of the Statistical Institute of Jamaica, Leesha Delatie-Budair.
She also reported that the economy grew by 1.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 and 1.7 per cent in the second quarter.
Delatie-Budair provided the update during STATIN’s quarterly press briefing held at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel on Tuesday (March 31).
However, she noted that the economy contracted by 7.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2025 following the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which struck on October 28 and caused an estimated US$8.8 billion in damage.
Delatie-Budair said the impact was reflected across both goods-producing and services industries.
“The goods-producing industries declined by 10.7 per cent, and this was largely attributed to declines in agriculture, forestry and fishing, which contracted by 17.7 per cent. The services industries contracted by 5.9 per cent. We saw all services industries recording a decline except for finance and insurance and public administration and defence,” she explained.
Accommodation and food service activities recorded the largest decline.
“This industry fell by 31 per cent and accounted for 42.4 per cent of the overall decline in the services industries,” Delatie-Budair added.
Other notable declines included electricity, water and waste management, which fell by 11.7 per cent, and wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, and installation of machinery and equipment, which declined by 2.2 per cent.
