The following export product groups at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level represent the highest dollar value in Jamaican global shipments during 2019. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Jamaica.

1. Inorganic chemicals: US$944.5 million (62.8% of total exports)
2. Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $145.3 million (9.7%)
3. Ores, slag, ash: $106.8 million (7.1%)
4. Vegetables: $40.7 million (2.7%)
5. Miscellaneous food preparations: $32.2 million (2.1%)
6. Vegetable/fruit/nut preparations: $26.6 million (1.8%)
7. Coffee, tea, spices: $23.8 million (1.6%)
8. Cereal/milk preparations: $22.8 million (1.5%)
9. Mineral fuels including oil: $22.1 million (1.5%)
10. Iron, steel: $12.7 million (0.8%)

Jamaica’s top 10 exports accounted for 91.5% of the overall value of its global shipments.

Beverages, spirits and vinegar was the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 29.5% from 2018 to 2019. In second place for improving export sales were miscellaneous food preparations via a 11.6% gain. Jamaica’s shipments of vegetables posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 11.1%.

The leading decliner among Jamaica’s top 10 export categories was mineral fuels including oil thanks to a -92.1% plunge.

At the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, aluminum oxide or hydroxide were Jamaica’s most valuable exported product at 62.7% of the country’s total. In second place were aluminum ores and concentrates (7.1%) trailed by alcoholic beverages including spirits and liqueurs (5.8%), manioc roots or tubers, artichokes and sweet potatoes (2.5%), malt beer (1.8%), bread, biscuits, cakes and pastries (1.4%) then processed petroleum oils (also 1.4%).

The following types of Jamaican product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.

In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.

1. Inorganic chemicals: US$852.1 million (Up by 3.2% since 2018)
2. Ores, slag, ash: $106.8 million (Up by 7.9%)
3. Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $65.6 million (Up by 575.3%)
4. Coffee, tea, spices: $18.5 million (Down by -3%)
5. Vegetables: $18.1 million (Up by 9.3%)
6. Fruits, nuts: $1.7 million (Down by -37.5%)
7. Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $973,000 (Reversing a -$14.2 million deficit)
8. Woodpulp: $707,000 (Down by -18.6%)
9. Copper: $376,000 (Reversing a -$9.7 million deficit)

Jamaica generated highly positive net exports in the international trade of inorganic chemicals. In turn, these cashflows indicate Jamaica’s strong competitive advantages under the inorganic chemicals category.

Overall Jamaica incurred a -$3.3 billion trade deficit for 2019, down by -22.2% from -$4.2 billion in red ink one year earlier.

Below are exports from Jamaica that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Jamaica’s goods trail Jamaican importer spending on foreign products.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US-$1.1 billion (Down by -20.4% since 2018)
2. Vehicles: -$464.5 million (Down by -1.6%)
3. Machinery including computers: -$428.9 million (Down by -20%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: -$239.9 million (Down by -24%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: -$177.2 million (Down by -14.8%)
6. Cereals: -$105.6 million (Down by -23.3%)
7. Articles of iron or steel: -$101.6 million (Down by -33.8%)
8. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefabricated buildings: -$95.1 million (Down by -4.9%)
9. Iron, steel: -$85.9 million (Up by 16.2%)
10. Paper, paper items: -$85.3 million (Down by -21.2%)

Jamaica incurred highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits under the mineral fuels including oil category, particularly for both refined and crude petroleum oils and, to a lesser extent, petroleum gases and coal.

Jamaican Export Companies

No Jamaican-based corporation ranks among the Forbes Global 2000.

Wikipedia does list exports-related companies from Jamaica. Selected examples are shown below.

• Alpart (aluminum)
• Desnoes & Geddes (brewery)
• J. Wray and Nephew Ltd (alcoholic beverages)
• Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (oil, gas)
• Port Authority of Jamaica (ports/shipping)