Plans by US Federal Reserve spells bad news for JA

[Don1]

Jamaica does have the scale or cheap money & other inputs to produce (manufacture) many things competitively...that's a non-starter as a major economic plank...but I do agree with an agro focus for our food security & export where we can find niche markets

What Jamaica has to do is invest massively in education to join the knowledge economy and produce value based on our brains...that's the way out of the mess..
plus of course continue the tourism, lite IT & screwdriver type industries like the planned Caymanas facility

Education is, was & will always be the KEY.

[1of1]

no basically is monopoly money, dem just print it, so if you have more money in circulation it value less as in buying power, so more needed to buy stuff

[Assasin]

we can start by doing the simple things like stop importing tomato, Cassava, hot pepper, and water.

If we just plant a little bit more and market it then 1/4 of our problem will be solved. Farmers can send them pickney go a school and get a little money to develop a little personal wealth while we wait on your education plan.

Don't get me wrong that we don't need it but it is going to be a long wait for this kind of program. some of the things we importing regardless of scale we should be importing. UK put tax tarrifs on their goods and air travel when they want to. While some products in Jamaica still carry a hefty price on the world market but we not producing it. Take a look at what Jamaica Producer did over the last 2 years and you see we have market to conquer regardless of economy of scale as the word for us should be "niche".

[Don1]

can start by doing the simple things like stop importing tomato, Cassava, hot pepper, and water.

we are in a globalized world ..not the 1970s. we cannot just simply stop importing things as before. You've posted this type of thing before...it nuh werk suh

If we just plant a little bit more and market it then 1/4 of our problem will be solved. Farmers can send them pickney go a school and get a little money to develop a little personal wealth while we wait on your education plan.

Planting "a little bit more" is not a strategy...it's a prescription for continued mediocrity.

Education..if you believe it to be key as I do...CANNOT WAIT any longer.

Don't get me wrong that we don't need it but it is going to be a long wait for this kind of program. some of the things we importing regardless of scale we should be importing. UK put tax tarrifs on their goods and air travel when they want to. While some products in Jamaica still carry a hefty price on the world market but we not producing it. Take a look at what Jamaica Producer did over the last 2 years and you see we have market to conquer regardless of economy of scale as the word for us should be "niche".

I hope you are aware that most of JP's production & sales are in foreign markets...not Jamaica.

Jamaica needs a new paradigm...the old solutions you offer are passe

[Assasin]

why you have to take the extreme position?
as I said Niche is the key word. JP has found niche product and Niche market. They have improved sales at home and abroad.

Did i say we can stop importing? The fact is we have to cut our import bill and produce for our selves or somebody. We are no longer in the 1970s but even the US add tarriffs to Chinese steel, the British add taxes on travel and cut out subsidies that has been there for ages so we have to protect ourselves.

No country can't survive without producing nothing and that is what Jamaica is close to at the moment. Service industry running an economy is fallacy as proven here in your 21 century, you need more than that.

[Don1]

i don't think you overstand the international economy.

It is impossible for Jamaica to cut imports and increase exports & FX earnings (ie the import substitution policies of the 1970's) ...what is possible & advisable to do is to increase PRODUCTIVITY over time from increased imported inputs...

The optimal way that productivity increase is possible is to increase labour productivity...and the way to do that is to improve education & training of the labour force to handle higher technology and produce increased value added outputs...

You don't seem to overstand these macro-economic realities

[Assasin]

There are some things that don't need that much technology and can be produced. Like many of the British farmers changed to Organic because it is more profitable.

Blue Mountain coffee is unique and get the highest of price on the international market and what we do? Ramp with it. Our Cocoa, Our Ginger and other products.

What Jamaica producer did was get out of the direct selling of Banana and instead still plant it and make chips and the return is bigger on that as two banana produce a bag a chips and the return is much more. That is the niche market we need to find.

Some of these thing there is no huge overhead and we can do much better. We can't throw up our hand and we also need to block some of these products as many other countries are doing.

I understand economics and the fact is we have to find something to trade as no country can survive on pure imports and in the long run it is the death of any country.

[Don1]

mi dun tell yuh seh Jamaica Producer's revival is mainly based on production in external markets... wha duh yuh suh?

Is like yuh nuh reddy fi dis yet...

[Assasin]

So the fact is regardless of economies of scale there are some NICHE market we can produce for?

That is all I am saying find the these market and produce and stop thinking we have fi siddun and fold our hands.

[Don1]

So the fact is regardless of economies of scale there are some NICHE market we can produce for?

That is all I am saying find the these market and produce and stop thinking we have fi siddun and fold our hands.

Not advocating sitting down...and I did state that niche markets should be exploited. However for you to select a product ..in this case ackee... and claim that Jamaica is missing a significant opportunity is very naive... just because you and some of your associates believe you need a lower cost/higher quality canned ackee does not constitute market research...nor validate the existence of a viable market that a Jamaican enterprise can satisfy...there are many variables of which you are either ignorant or insufficiently informed.

For example:

Grace is Jamaica's largest conglomerate and largest agro-processor. They have access to capital, large resources, established food brands, active foreign marketing divisions and Jamaican manufacturing operations...and a mission to supply Jamaicans/Caribbeans with their familiar products...PLUS they have a canned ackee product in the US... so they are PERFECTLY placed to take advantage of this lucrative, unfulfilled ackee market you believe exists..

Why don't they...if they want to make the money you imagine is there?

Ans: You are suffering from self-delusion on the issue.... there is no ackee bonanza out there

Jamaica should seek niche markets for our niche products..YES.... this effort can help at the margins.. even a few thousand cases of ackee exported can help...BUT

For real prosperity Jamaica has to join the Knowledge Economy...that's where the world's fastest growth is...and the only way to take advantage is thru a MASSIVE upgrade in education.

Simple

[Assasin]

mr.know it all, Grace just expanded their food processing line by leasing 3 plants government build, I wonder why?

If Grace not doing it nobody making any profit? I wonder why the Haitians and the now the Africans doing it making ackee. It is simple if money is in the marketplace others will enter. I can tell you the amount of new food processors I have seen in the market place recently including Walkerswood, JP, Juilana, Ocho Rios, just to name a few. Look at a company such as Tetley tea and then talk to mi. We simply have to find the market(and by the way research is part of finding the market) and sell our products.

The fact is even with a knowledge base economy niche markets, farm product and others are needed.

The reason why small business thrive is not because they are doing the same thing the big man is doing but because tof what they do things unique.

I am sure China's building never started with a MASSIVE Knowledge base but light manufaturing. Yes they have a lot of educated people but if you have 2 billion people you must have a massive amount of Educated people but you will also have a massive of under eduated ones as well. I am sure they haven't given up on farming or market that they have.

What other produce you can get 13 dollars a can for?
I look in the stores just now and it is 33 dollars a lb for Blue Mountain Coffee.
Our Cocoa is rated amongst the world best.
So too is our ginger.
Are you telling me there is no market for our Julie and East Indian mangoes?

Mi and my friends may not be in any research but any idiot can tell you that ackee stay on self when it sell for 13 dollars a can. At 6.99 it goes very fast.

You simply wait on you theory and don't take advantage of what we can, in the meanwhile we import everything we can.

[Don1]

=Assasin;261651]mr.know it all, Grace just expanded their food processing line by leasing 3 plants government build, I wonder why?

Could it be related to making money?

If Grace not doing it nobody making any profit? I wonder why the Haitians and the now the Africans doing it making ackee. It is simple if money is in the marketplace others will enter. I can tell you the amount of new food processors I have seen in the market place recently including Walkerswood, JP, Juilana, Ocho Rios, just to name a few. Look at a company such as Tetley tea and then talk to mi. We simply have to find the market(and by the way research is part of finding the market) and sell our products.

You make my point without even realizing...if there's a market for something anyone in the world can enter. Unless you can compete against the world on price, quality & smart marketing...stay home.

It is not possible for Jamaica to dominate ANY market.

The fact is even with a knowledge base economy niche markets, farm product and others are needed.

I made that point explicitly...no need to make it seem like a revelation

The reason why small business thrive is not because they are doing the same thing the big man is doing but because tof what they do things unique.

Uniqueness is over-rated...once a product is out if it's any good it will be copied....even if it has IP protection....quality, reliability, price competitiveness & marketing rule

I am sure China's building never started with a MASSIVE Knowledge base but light manufaturing. Yes they have a lot of educated people but if you have 2 billion people you must have a massive amount of Educated people but you will also have a massive of under eduated ones as well. I am sure they haven't given up on farming or market that they have.

Why so one tracked? No one said to give up farming...in fact I stated that it was vital.... but you and others believe that a simple import substitution policy can be effective...that's rubbish. If one cannot compete with imports on price & quality & reliable supply...fahget it...the nonsense about we should stop importing this or that in order to produce this or that locally is a naive fantasy that should be put to rest

What other produce you can get 13 dollars a can for?
I look in the stores just now and it is 33 dollars a lb for Blue Mountain Coffee.
Our Cocoa is rated amongst the world best.
So too is our ginger.
Are you telling me there is no market for our Julie and East Indian mangoes?

See above for the answer

Mi and my friends may not be in any research but any idiot can tell you that ackee stay on self when it sell for 13 dollars a can. At 6.99 it goes very fast.

I guess we are missing an ackee goldmine...I should invest in ackee futures

You simply wait on you theory and don't take advantage of what we can, in the meanwhile we import everything we can.

Me wait? On what?

I am just explaining my understanding of economics & trade in a globalized environment... in this environment EDUCATION is key to labour productivity which is the driver of progress.... even to improve the farm sector education is key

Stay on track...don't stray

[Assasin]

Jamaica don't have to dominate any major market as we are just 2.7 million people with a little piece of land mass. Just having a little bit of penetration in select markets and we will be fine.

[Don1]

suh why yuh ah bawl out fi ackee when wi already have brands in that market? Is it a wish for Jamaican companies to dominate?

also let's know how to get "a little bit of penetration in select markets" so we will be fine... also how is fine defined in this construct??

also..have you dropped the nonsense argument about cutting specific imports to produce the same goods locally (absent addressing the cost factor) AKA 1970's style import substitution...or do you still believe that crapola?

also do you believe the ONLY way to achieve higher labour productivity & thereby prosperity... is through investment in education NOW...or do you continue your stated myopia that "education has to wait" AKA "education cyaan nyam" LoL!

Busta's curse of ignorance on Jamaicans is alive & well..

[Assasin]

In my opinion if we are serious about ackee we can double the market and make more money easily. My problem is things we even have an advantage in we fail to produce. How much does it cost to prduce cassava? and we importing it like crazy. Why import bottled pipe water when we have free water in good rivers and spring in Jamaica? Can you believe import sorrell? Why? Why can't we export Julie and East Indian mangoes? a guess you love the fluxy Haitian Mangoes. Why can't we find an effective way of export Neasberry? These are all produce thet we can have at effective cost.

The fact is our mentality is killing us. We talk about others but we simply need to take advantage of what we have. If Tufton never start rice production again we woulda use your same silly argument as to why produce it. The fact is we import every dumped, supstandard goods that there is just to higler and give politician friend a bly so you can gwaan with your superfical argument.

When somebody is paying 13 dollars a can for Ackee something is wrong in the marketplace. It nuh take a rocket science to tell you there is a shortage in the market place.