Kingston, Jamaica – JAMPRO Chairman Senator Don Wehby says that Jamaican manufacturers exhibiting at Expo Jamaica 2018 will receive strong local and regional support with JAMPRO registering over 600 Buyers to attend the event.
This is the highest number of buyers registered to attend since 2014, and it is the second highest number since JAMPRO assumed the role of buyer recruiter for the event in 2008.
For this year’s staging, delegations will be attending from Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, and the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce.
Senator Wehby noted that these buyers were not only interested in traditional products from sectors like agro-processing, but also high on their priority were pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, limestone based products and other non-traditional sectors.
Jamaican buyers are also showing strong support, with half of the number registered being from local companies. This shows a positive trend of Jamaican entities increasing their appetite for locally made products, and also displays Jamaicans’ desire to buy products that are made in Jamaica. Large companies like PriceSmart Jamaica, MegaMart Jamaica, Sandals Resorts and others will be sending buyers to Expo Jamaica to source goods.
Brand Jamaica growing
Senator Wehby said that JAMPRO was pleased with the buyer registration number, which continues to grow daily and has exceeded the original target of 500. Japan, Nigeria, Switzerland, South Africa, and first time registrant Georgia, will be represented at Expo, in addition to North America, the United Kingdom, Caribbean buyers from Barbados, Costa Rica, Turks and Caicos, Grenada and others.
He explained that JAMPRO’s Board of Directors were keen on improving Jamaica’s national export performance and increasing local linkages in Jamaica, and the aim was to give manufacturers and service providers the opportunity to get their products in international markets. JAMPRO’s Chairman said, “JAMPRO is dedicated to boosting Jamaica’s economic performance and promoting Brand Jamaica. It is important that we support events like Expo Jamaica, to create a platform for Jamaican manufacturers to land business deals and create relationships with buyers, so they can continue to contribute positively to Jamaica’s economic performance and bring our products to international markets.”
Senator Wehby said that export was critical to Jamaica’s economic advancement and that based on JAMPRO’s previous performance at Expo, he was optimistic that the exhibitors would have a fruitful outcome at the event, “At the last Expo Jamaica, companies were able to have 512 meetings in the two Buyer days at the event. That was 512 opportunities for Jamaican manufacturers to land a business deal or seal a partnership. That is the true power of this event,” Mr. Wehby went on to say, “If Jamaica does not have a strong manufacturing and export sector we will not be able to sustain our economic growth. Initiatives like Expo Jamaica give us the opportunity to boost key sectors and facilitate export sales that will positively impact our manufacturers and the economy.”
