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Description
A vegetable is a plant cultivated for an edible part such as the leaf, stem or root. In 2010, China was the largest vegetable producing nation, with over half the world’s production. The scale of production varies from subsistence farmers supplying the needs of their family for food, to agribusinesses with vast acreages of single-product crops. Depending on the type of vegetable concerned, harvesting the crop is followed by grading, storing, processing and marketing.
Current Situation
A 2011 study titled “Developing an Action Plan for Promotion of a Regional Agribusiness Sector and Targeted Commodity Enterprises” by Landell Mills Development Consultants estimated that in 2008 the region produced 417,000 metric tons, with the main contributors being Haiti and Jamaica accounting for 77.6%.
CARICOM Vegetable Production 2013 (Tonnes). (Source: FAOSTAT)
COUNTRY |
ITEMS |
TONNES |
|
|
|
Antigua and Barbuda |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
131 |
|
Tomatoes |
477 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
341 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
86 |
|
Eggplants (aubergines) |
395 |
|
Chillies and peppers, green |
94 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
303 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
160 |
Sub total |
|
1,987 |
|
|
|
Bahamas |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
1,342 |
|
Lettuce and chicory |
111 |
|
Tomatoes |
6,151 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
2,087 |
|
Onions, shallots, green |
604 |
|
Okra |
461 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
17,719 |
Sub total |
|
28,475 |
|
|
|
Barbados |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
294 |
|
Lettuce and chicory |
493 |
|
Tomatoes |
945 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
154 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
1,188 |
|
Chillies and peppers, green |
423 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
90 |
|
Okra |
331 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
4,851 |
Sub total |
|
8,769 |
|
|
|
Belize |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
1,539 |
|
Tomatoes |
768 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
299 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
157 |
|
Chillies and peppers, green |
733 |
|
Onions, shallots, green |
641 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
315 |
|
Okra |
48 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
4,599 |
Sub total |
|
9,099 |
|
|
|
Dominica |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
790 |
|
Lettuce and chicory |
307 |
|
Tomatoes |
385 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
897 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
1,409 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
800 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
2,300 |
Sub total |
|
6,888 |
|
|
|
Grenada |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
203 |
|
Lettuce and chicory |
113 |
|
Tomatoes |
320 |
|
Cauliflowers and broccoli |
19 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
367 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
148 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
76 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
2,473 |
Sub total |
|
3,719 |
|
|
|
Guyana |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
2,255 |
|
Tomatoes |
11,657 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
9,622 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
3,144 |
|
Eggplants (aubergines) |
5,741 |
|
Chillies and peppers, green |
7,968 |
|
Onions, shallots, green |
|
|
Okra |
3,394 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
2,495 |
Sub total |
|
46,276 |
|
|
|
Haiti |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
13,000 |
|
Lettuce and chicory |
550 |
|
Spinach |
1,200 |
|
Tomatoes |
2,600 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
600 |
|
Eggplants (aubergines) |
850 |
|
Garlic |
600 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
125,000 |
Sub total |
|
144,400 |
|
|
|
Jamaica |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
34,584 |
|
Lettuce and chicory |
11,368 |
|
Spinach |
15,840 |
|
Tomatoes |
29,128 |
|
Cauliflowers and broccoli |
2,212 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
52,072 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
17,425 |
|
Eggplants (aubergines) |
481 |
|
Chillies and peppers, green |
15,204 |
|
Onions, shallots, green |
16,296 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
33,274 |
|
Okra |
6,701 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
22,383 |
Sub total |
|
256,968 |
|
|
|
Montserrat |
Tomatoes |
219 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
62 |
|
Chillies and peppers, green |
26 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
160 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
225 |
Sub total |
|
692 |
|
|
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
68 |
|
Tomatoes |
220 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
107 |
|
Chillies and peppers, green |
61 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
156 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
307 |
Sub total |
|
919 |
|
|
|
Saint Lucia |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
460 |
|
Lettuce and chicory |
213 |
|
Tomatoes |
306 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
285 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
540 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
16 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
1,258 |
Sub total |
|
3,078 |
|
|
|
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
263 |
|
Chillies and peppers, green |
613 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
569 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
4,172 |
Sub total |
|
5,617 |
|
|
|
Suriname |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
1,021 |
|
Tomatoes |
1,284 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
1,131 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
13,028 |
Sub total |
|
16,464 |
|
|
|
Trinidad and Tobago |
Cabbages and other brassicas |
336 |
|
Lettuce and chicory |
2,281 |
|
Tomatoes |
1,501 |
|
Cauliflowers and broccoli |
215 |
|
Pumpkins, squash and gourds |
2,751 |
|
Cucumbers and gherkins |
1,217 |
|
Eggplants (aubergines) |
1,113 |
|
Chillies and peppers, green |
758 |
|
Carrots and turnips |
|
|
Okra |
1,411 |
|
Vegetables, fresh nes |
1,146 |
Sub total |
|
12,729 |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
|
546,080 |
Current production is mainly for local production and the sector is under-capitalised. A wide range of vegetables are produced, but only a few such as pumpkins and hot peppers are consistently exported with the major deterrents being cost of production and quality.
Also there is currently no real standard or quality assurance for the region. This limits the ability to adequately market and export these products.
An FAO sponsored study titled “Fresh and Processed Produce Market - Opportunity Study” by Fitzroy James notes that in 2006, export of vegetables from mainly Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana were sent to the U.S., Canada and other CARICOM country markets, with primary focus on:
In the same report, vegetable imports to the region saw a significant volume of frozen and canned vegetables, and also primarily focused on:
The Landell Mills study presents an overview of the most popular vegetables as follows:
Business Case
Why invest in vegetable production?