Above: Bridgetown (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

CARICOM is Barbados’ number one export market, and the country is working to intensify efforts to strengthen that position.

Later this month, Barbados will send a 15-member contingent of local companies on a trade mission to St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The visit follows a multi-sectoral mission by Barbadian companies to St Lucia and Grenada last year.

“The mission is part of a major effort to consolidate and grow Barbadian exports within the region,” said Sonja Trotman, director of export development and promotion at the Barbados Investment & Development Corporation. “CARICOM represents a market where quick gains can be realized from new and traditional export products, and is, at the same time, an ideal entry point for first-time exporters to become immersed in conducting international business.”

The Barbadian delegation will include members of sectors including apparel, jewelry, condiments, botanicals, and others.

Representatives from the Barbados Manufacturers Association and the Barbados Private Sector Trade Team have joined the BIDC as partners, and will be part of the delegation.

The ultimate goal is to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Invest St Vincent and the Grenadines to encourage greater cooperation on trade matters between the two countries.