The 2008 Agricultural Digest - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural ...

FOOD TRADEDuring 2008, the total import food bill for Barbadoswas estimated at Bds$ 691.7 million. This representsan increase of 32.7 2 per cent over the Bds$ 521.2million of food imported during the previous year.The three main sources of Barbados’ food imports in terms ofvalue were from the United States of America, Trinidad and Tobago andNew Zealand (41.2 per cent, 8.8 per cent and 7 per cent respectively).Total domestic food exports during 2008 also increased value by18.9 percent, to reach a total of Bds$ 213.8 million, comparedto the Bds $179.8 million exported in 2007. The top three exportmarkets were the United Kingdom, the United States of Americaand Trinidad and Tobago (27.9 per cent, 21 per cent and 8.1percent respectively).2.It must be reiterated that this significant increase may be largely due to the increasein fuel prices which had a subsequent impact on freight charges.Table 3 - Barbados’ Agricultural Food Bill (2007 and 2008)ChaptersDefinitionImportBds$2007 2008Domestic ExportsBds$ImportBds$Domestic ExportsBds$2 Meat and edible meat offal 38,159,617 1,188,603 46,058,996 1,695,0483Fish and other seafood, excludingornamental and live fish26,129,521 1,678,616 28,509,015 1,392,5684Dairy products, eggs, natural honey, edibleproducts of animal origin, not elsewhere 49,661,105 1,901,170 66,588,473 1,878,425specified or included7Edible vegetables and certainroots and tubers23,051,143 193,696 25,059,133 113,2978Edible fruit and nuts, peel of citrusfruit or melon17,617,228 385,039 21,507,060 681,4689 Coffee, tea, mate and spices 5,750,990 49,855 6,586,594 72,31710 Cereals 36,280,798 331,653 70,614,276 473,63111Products of the milling industry, malt,starches, insulin, and wheat gluten7,935,763 5,378,192 12,903,904 7,730,15912Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits,miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit, excludingseeds for sowing, perfume,17,912,899 35,319 38,328,178 7,802straw and fodder15Animal or vegetable fats and oils,Excluding glycerol waters20,513,983 22,577,633 39,967,456 33,478,86016Preparations of meats, of fish orof crustaceans, molluscs or other18,223,023 7,074,120 22,378,385 7,136,719aquatic invertebrates17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 32,824,942 37,570,198 41,501,622 48,190,59618 Cocoa and cocoa preparations 9,411,688 30 11,177,726 15,69619Preparations of cereal, flour, starch or milk,pastry cooks' products42,495,662 14,511,969 54,616,670 17,590,30720Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts,or other parts of plants37,748,589 2,418,195 43,585,900 3,263,28721 Miscellaneous edible preparations 48,326,206 4,568,880 62,531,971 4,097,65922 Beverages, spirits and vinegar 89,185,531 79,901,255 99,783,368 85,910,504TOTAL 521,228,688 179,764,423 691,698,727 213,728,343Source: Agricultural Planning Unit, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentVolume 1Agricultural Digest | 200819