Exporters Encouraged to Apply for Certificates of Origin

The Trade Board Limited (TBL) is encouraging exporters to apply for certificates of origin to benefit from duty concessions.

Issuing of the certificate of origin enables qualifying Jamaican products, exported under various preferential trade agreements, to be granted concession in the form of duty free or reduction of duty.

Public Relations Officer at the TBL, Rushelle Whyte, said that having a certificate of origin will reduce costs for exporters.

“It essentially is your ticket to pay little or no duty to the country you are exporting to. Say you are… the company that is exporting your products, or you are getting ready to export but things can get costly, we are here to save you some money,” she said

The TBL was among entities showcasing their products and services at the Government-at-Your-Service (GOVAYS)/Marketplace, during the recent 10th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

Ms. Whyte also highlighted the entity’s ‘Export Jamaica’ platform, which was launched in March 2024.

Export Jamaica serves as a global market intelligence and compliance gateway, offering access to marketing sites and potential trading partners globally.

The platform provides detailed buyer information to facilitate secure and profitable import-export activities to safeguard against risky international transactions.

“What you can expect from this cutting-edge innovative gateway is access to marketing sites, access to countries that you can potentially trade with, thousands of buyers… we are bringing the information to our customers,” Ms. Whyte said.

The primary role of the TBL is to facilitate and regulate Jamaica’s international trade, supporting economic growth through efficient services such as licensing, compliance oversight, and market intelligence.

The entity works to ensure fair trade practices and enhances Jamaica’s competitiveness in global markets.