The Jamaica Spices Project (Ja Spice) will support Jamaica’s goal of revitalizing the spice sector. The Ja Spice Project will be launched on June 1, 2023. We are joined by the Chief of Party, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food for Progress Jamaica Spices, Dr. Ronald Blake to share more. Watch the conversation:
Problem Global spice demand for use in food, seasonings, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals continues to grow. With their distinctive flavors and characteristics, Jamaican spices have been historically recognized as premium products. However, falling production volumes and rising prices are leading US spice buyers to source ginger, turmeric, and pimento from other countries at considerable cost savings.
buyers to source ginger, turmeric, and pimento from other countries at considerable cost savings. The sectors’ challenges, left unresolved over the years, include a lack of access to clean planting material, low production volumes, a fragmented farmer base, a lack of market and climate information and linkages, and poor access to finance. These challenges have led to progressively decreasing production volumes, low productivity, and significantly high levels of unmet demand—for local and export produce and value-added products.
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