The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Jamaican global shipments during 2016. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Jamaica.

1. Inorganic chemicals: US$458.3 million (38.1% of total exports)
2. Mineral fuels including oil: $174.7 million (14.5%)
3. Ores, slag, ash: $92.2 million (7.7%)
4. Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $89.9 million (7.5%)
5. Coffee, tea, spices: $38.1 million (3.2%)
6. Vegetable/fruit/nut preparations: $234.7 million (2.9%)
7. Vegetables: $32.6 million (2.7%)
8. Miscellaneous food preparations: $28.3 million (2.4%)
9. Cereal/milk preparations: $20.6 million (1.7%)
10. Machinery including computers: $19.5 million (1.6%)

Miscellaneous food preparations was the fastest-growing among the top 10 export categories, up by 55.2% for the 7-year period starting in 2009.

In second place for improving export sales was vegetable, fruit or nut preparations which appreciated by 48.6%.

Jamaican machinery including computers posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 39.6%.

Three product categories declined in value from 2009 to 2016: beverages, spirits and vinegar (down -67%), mineral fuels including oil (down -18.3%) and coffee, tea and spices (down -4.6%).

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 is 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$367.8 million (Up by 33.8% since 2009)
2. Ores, slag, ash: $92.1 million (Up by 8.5%)
3. Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $50.7 million (Up by 3.8%)
4. Coffee, tea, spices: $29.4 million (Down by -13.1%)
5. Vegetables: $14.4 million (Up by 844.8%)
6. Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $5.3 million (Reversing a -$14.2 deficit)
7. Fruits, nuts: $5.3 million (Up by 66%)
8. Ships, boats: $4 million (Reversing a -$5.4 million deficit)
9. Woodpulp: $1 million (Up by 158.2%)
10. Miscellaneous vegetable plaiting materials: $608,000 (Up by 243.5%)

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 2016 slightly down from -$3.7 billion during 2009.

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$768.5 million (Down by -35.2% since 2009)
2. Vehicles: -$540 million (Up by 159%)
3. Machinery including computers: -$379.6 million (Up by 33.8%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: -$293.7 million (Up by 26.7%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: -$173.7 million (Up by 15.6%)
6. Pharmaceuticals: -$145.7 million (Down by -6%)
7. Cereals: -$139.2 million (Down by -18.8%)
8. Paper, paper items: -$97.1 million (Down by -17.9%)
9. Miscellaneous food preparations: -$89.9 million (Up by 168.2%)
10. Articles of iron or steel: -$88.3 million (Down by -12.4%)

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, petroleum gases and coal.

Jamaican Export Companies

No Jamaican-based corporation ranks among Forbes Global 2000 for 2016.
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)