Jamaica’s trade deficit widens as imports outpace exports — STATIN
Key Points(5)
- Jamaica’s trade deficit widened between January and November 2025, as spending on imports continued to outpace earnings from exports, according to new data released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN).
- Total imports during the review period amounted to approximately US$6.8 billion, while export earnings totaled about US$1.5 billion.
- This represents a 2.2 per cent increase in imports compared to the corresponding period in 2024.
- STATIN said the growth was largely driven by higher spending on raw materials and intermediate goods, which rose by 9.3 per cent, along with a 5.4 per cent increase in consumer goods imports.
- In contrast, export earnings declined by 11 per cent from the US$1.7 billion recorded during the same period in 2024.
Jamaica’s trade deficit widened between January and November 2025, as spending on imports continued to outpace earnings from exports, according to new data released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN).
Total imports during the review period amounted to approximately US$6.8 billion, while export earnings totaled about US$1.5 billion.
This represents a 2.2 per cent increase in imports compared to the corresponding period in 2024.
STATIN said the growth was largely driven by higher spending on raw materials and intermediate goods, which rose by 9.3 per cent, along with a 5.4 per cent increase in consumer goods imports.
In contrast, export earnings declined by 11 per cent from the US$1.7 billion recorded during the same period in 2024. The downturn was primarily attributed to a 14.6 per cent reduction in the value of crude materials.
STATIN reported that Jamaica’s top five trading partners during the period were the United States, China, Brazil, Japan and Trinidad and Tobago.
Combined imports from these countries totaled approximately US$4.2 billion, representing a 4.7 per cent increase compared with 2024.
On the export side, Jamaica’s main markets were the United States, Russian Federation, Iceland, Canada and Netherlands.
