JAMAICA'S $140 Million Feed Import Bill: Private Sector Ready to Act, Government Remains Silent

Two agricultural leaders signal willingness to revolutionize local animal feed production, but official response falls flat

KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 27, 2025 - Lenworth Fulton - Every year, Jamaica hemorrhages approximately $140 million in foreign exchange to import corn and sorghum—raw materials that could be grown on the island's own soil. 

This staggering sum represents one of the country's largest single-item foreign exchange drains, funding animal feed production that keeps Caribbean Broilers and Jamaica Broilers' operations running while local farmers watch prime agricultural land sit idle or get carved up for housing developments.

Lenworth Fulton, former president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society

The irony deepens when considering that two prominent agricultural leaders have already signaled their readiness to change this dynamic, yet their calls echo in a policy vacuum where government officials seem more interested in rhetoric than action.

Private Sector Shows the Way Forward

Peter McConnell of Trade Wind Citrus recently announced his company's intention to cultivate corn and sorghum specifically to boost milk output and quality.

Similarly, Richard Pandowie of Surge Island declared plans to partner with Indian agricultural experts to establish local corn and sorghum cultivation for dairy cattle feed.

These aren't casual business musings—they represent serious commitments from companies willing to invest in Jamaica's agricultural transformation.

Yet the response from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has been conspicuously absent. No meetings have been called, no coordination efforts initiated, and no policy framework developed to support these private sector pioneers.

The silence is particularly troubling given that both McConnell and Pandowie were likely hoping their public declarations would prompt government action to create an enabling environment for their investments.

The Economic Imperative

The numbers tell a compelling story. Jamaica's poultry and pig industries depend entirely on imported feed materials, while ruminant livestock operations rely on them partially. This $140 million annual outflow occurs in a country perpetually concerned about foreign exchange stability and food security.

The economic argument for local production isn't just strong—it's overwhelming.

Beyond the immediate foreign exchange savings, local feed production would reduce Jamaica's dangerous over-reliance on single geographic sources for critical agricultural inputs.

Recent global supply chain disruptions have demonstrated the vulnerability of import-dependent systems, making the case for domestic production even more urgent.

The poultry subsector has already achieved self-sufficiency in meat and eggs, proving that Jamaican agriculture can compete when properly supported.

Local feed production could not only strengthen this success story but position Jamaica to serve regional animal and poultry feed demands across the Caribbean.

A Trade Crisis Demanding Action

The animal feed import bill takes on even greater significance when viewed against Jamaica's devastating trade imbalance with the United States, its primary trading partner.

With imports of $7.3 billion dwarfing exports of just $1.9 billion, Jamaica faces a crushing $5.4 billion trade deficit that continues to strain the economy's foundation.

Agricultural exports, rather than helping bridge this gap, are moving in the wrong direction. The sector recorded a troubling 15.6% decline in 2024, with export earnings falling to just $58.3 million as coffee and spices—once reliable foreign exchange earners—saw significant drops. 

In the first quarter of 2025, Agricultural exports were a mere $19-million while food inport for that same period was $319-million. The total food import bill now stands at US$6.4 billion.

This downward trajectory reflects a broader agricultural malaise that has seen sugar production collapse from 175,000 metric tons in 2000 to a projected 36,000 tons in 2023/24.

Against this backdrop of declining agricultural exports and mounting trade deficits, the $140 million spent annually on animal feed imports represents both a hemorrhaging wound and a ready-made opportunity for import substitution.

Every dollar saved on feed imports is a dollar that stays in the Jamaican economy, while every acre devoted to corn and sorghum production is an acre contributing to the country's productive capacity rather than housing developments or idle speculation.

The Land Use Tragedy

Perhaps most frustrating is the squandered opportunity represented by Jamaica's former sugar lands. The country gained independence with over 300,000 acres under sugarcane cultivation. By the 2000s, only Worthy Park and Frome remained operational, leaving more than 250,000 acres of prime, irrigated, class-one agricultural land either mismanaged or converted to other uses.

Some of these lands now sit within established Agro Parks, supposedly ready for productive use. Yet instead of coordinated agricultural development, the government has allowed a false choice to emerge between agricultural production and housing development—two essential needs that should complement rather than compete with each other.

The result is a fragmented landscape where class-one agricultural lands get "splintered into uneconomical sizes" while agricultural institutions like the Agricultural Investment Corporation (AIC), Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), and Sugar Company of Jamaica Holdings struggle with poor management and unclear mandates.

Obstacles and Solutions

The shift from importation to local production faces real challenges. Land tenure remains problematic, with short-term leases discouraging long-term agricultural investments. Financial support proves elusive due to high interest rates and restrictive lending practices. Most critically, no framework exists for contractual agreements between potential growers and feed manufacturers.

However, these obstacles are policy choices, not insurmountable barriers. The government could address land tenure through long-term lease arrangements, coordinate with financial institutions to develop agricultural lending products, and facilitate contractual frameworks between growers and processors.

The Missing Leadership

What's needed now is assertive government leadership to convene all stakeholders—including McConnell, Pandowie, representatives from Caribbean Broilers and Jamaica Broilers, commercial financial institutions, and relevant ministry officials. Such a meeting could explore the genuine possibilities for local animal feed production and develop a coordinated strategy for implementation.

This isn't about reinventing agricultural policy from scratch. Jamaica has successful models in vegetables, root crops, fruits, and spices that have sustained farmers through traditional market chains. The template exists; what's missing is political will to prioritize agricultural development over political convenience.

Jamaica's agricultural production currently sits at decade-low levels, making this moment both critical and opportune. With private sector leaders ready to invest and proven agricultural infrastructure available, the only missing ingredient is government commitment to creating an enabling environment.

The $140 million animal feed import bill isn't just an agricultural issue—it's emblematic of Jamaica's broader economic challenge. While the country grapples with a $5.4 billion trade deficit and declining agricultural exports, opportunities for import substitution and productive investment remain untapped.

The private sector has shown its willingness to act; the question is whether government will provide the leadership necessary to transform agricultural rhetoric into economic reality.

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