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 2018. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Jamaica.

1. Inorganic chemicals: US$898.6 million (59.2% of total exports)
2. Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $150.6 million (9.9%)
3. Ores, slag, ash: $138.9 million (9.2%)
4. Vegetables: $41.4 million (2.7%)
5. Miscellaneous food preparations: $29.2 million (1.9%)
6. Coffee, tea, spices: $28.5 million (1.9%)
7. Vegetable/fruit/nut preparations: $24.1 million (1.6%)
8. Cereal/milk preparations: $20.2 million (1.3%)
9. Ships, boats: $20.1 million (1.3%)
10. Sugar, sugar confectionery: $14.4 million (0.9%)

Jamaica’s top 10 exports accounted for 90% of the overall value of its global shipments.

Mineral fuels including oil was the fastest-growing among the top 10 export categories during 2017, up by 33.9% year over year propelled by accelerating exports of refined petroleum oils.

Ships and boats represent the fastest-growing among the top 10 export categories, up by 7,220% since 2017.

In second place for improving export sales was inorganic chemicals thanks to a 73.4% improvement.

Jamaica’s shipments of ores, slag and ash posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 50.3% year over year.

The leading decliner among the top 10 Jamaica export categories was sugar and sugar confectionery via a -22.5% reduction.

At the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, aluminum oxide or hydroxide were Jamaica’s most valuable exported product at 59.2% of the country’s total. In second place was aluminum ores and concentrates (9.2%) trailed by alcoholic beverages including spirits and liqueurs (5.6%), manioc roots/tubers, artichokes and sweet potatoes (2.8%), malt beer (2.5%), coffee (2.2%), bread, biscuits, cakes and pastries (1.3%), sauces, mixed condiments or seasonings (1.3%) yachts and other pleasure or sports vessels (1.1%), then iron or steel scrap (1.1%).

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$694.1 million (Up by 76.7% since 2017)
2. Ores, slag, ash: $138.7 million (Up by 50.2%)
3. Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $81.4 million (Reversing a -$11.5 million deficit)
4. Coffee, tea, spices: $22 million (Down by -8.8%)
5. Vegetables: $19.3 million (Up by 4.3%)
6. Fruits, nuts: $4.2 million (Up by 6.8%)
7. Ships, boats: $2.6 million (Reversing a -$7.5 million deficit)
8. Woodpulp: $1.6 million (Up by 17.6%)
9. Lead: $530,000 (Reversing a -$55,000 deficit)

Jamaica has 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 -$3.6 billion trade deficit for 2018, down by -20% from -$4.5 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 -9.6% since 2017)
2. Vehicles: -$456.8 million (Down by -32.7%)
3. Machinery including computers: -$443.2 million (Down by -4.1%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: -$297.2 million (Up by 4.9%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: -$181.9 million (Down by -6.4%)
6. Articles of iron or steel: -$126.4 million (Up by 18.2%)
7. Cereals: -$125.7 million (Down by -6.8%)
8. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: -$83.6 million (Down by -17.2%)
9. Paper, paper items: -$81.7 million (Down by -20.7%)
10. Wood: -$81.1 million (Down by -2.1%)

Jamaica has 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 then 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)