Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Decline of Preferential Markets and the Sugar Industry: A Case Study of Trade Liberalization in Central Jamaica

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Globalization, Agriculture and Food in the Caribbean

Abstract

The sugar industry in Jamaica has been declining since the 1990s with very little hope of survival without urgent and significant diversification. Small-scale farmers involved in the sugar industry are experiencing the effects of trade liberalization through the ‘domino’ effect. In response, a number of small farmers have lost interest in the industry, which can be seen in the decreasing production levels of small sugar cane farmers from the mid-1990s. Small farmers are vital to the sugar industry and as such their fortunes impact the industry as a whole.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ahmed, B. 2004. The impact of globalization on the Caribbean banana and sugar industries. In Beyond the blood, the beach, and the banana: New perspectives in Caribbean studies, ed. S. Courtman. Kingston: Ian Randle.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed, B. 2001. The impact of globalization on the sugar and banana industries. In The society for Caribbean studies annual conference papers, vol. II. The University of the Nottingham. http://www.caricom.org/jsp/community/donor_conference_agriculture/preferences.pdf. Viewed 20 Aug 2009.

  • Alam, S., and M. Khan. 2001. Sugar cane cultivation. Tandojam: Nuclear Institute of Agriculture. http://www.pakistaneconomist.com/database2/cover/c2001-21.asp. Viewed 13 Oct 2009.

  • Anderson, R. 2013. Linking rule of law and trade liberalization in Jamaica. Berkeley Journal of African-America Law and Policy 7(1): 51–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barker, D., and C. Beckford. 2005. Plastic yam and plastic yam sticks: Perspectives on indigenous technical knowledge among Jamaica farmers. Journal of Economic and Social Geography 97(5): 535–546.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beckford, C., and D. Barker. 2007. The role and value of local knowledge in Jamaican agriculture: Adaptation and change in small-scale farming. Geographical Journal 173(2): 118–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beckford, C., and D. Campbell. 2013. Domestic food production and food security in the Caribbean: Building capacity and strengthening local food production systems. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Beckford, C., D. Campbell, and D. Barker. 2011. Sustainable food production systems and food security: Economic and environmental imperatives in yam cultivation in Trelawny, Jamaica. Sustainability 3: 541–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brierley, J. 1987. Land fragmentation and land-use patterns in Grenada. In Land and development in the Caribbean, ed. J. Besson and J. Momsen. London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, D. 2011. Domestic food production and hazard vulnerability in Jamaica: Adaptation and change in southern Saint Elizabeth. Ph.D. thesis, Department of Geography and Geology, University of the West Indies, Kingston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, D., D. Barker, and D. McGregor. 2010. Dealing with drought: Small farmers and environmental hazards in southern St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Applied Geography 30: 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, J., and D. Barker. 2012. Sugar, land and female livelihood in transition in St. Kitts. Dialogue and UniversalismE 3(1): 1–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cruz, C. 2008. Planters meet on fertilizer concerns. Sun Star. http://67.225.139.201/network/planters-meet-fertilizer-concerns. Viewed 20 Jan 2009.

  • Deep Ford, J.R., and K. Handsdeep. 2007. Caribbean countries as small and vulnerable economies. In FAO agricultural trade policy and food security in the Caribbean: Structural issues, multilateral negotiations and competitiveness, ed. J. Deep Ford, C. dell ‘Aquilla, and P. Conforti. Rome: FAO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deep Ford, J., and G. Rawlins. 2007. Trade policy, trade and food security in the Caribbean. In FAO agricultural trade policy and food security in the Caribbean: Structural issues, multilateral negotiations and competitiveness, ed. J. Deep Ford, C. Dell ‘Aquilla, and P. Conforti. Rome: FAO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). 2005. Restructuring Caribbean industries to meet the challenges of trade liberalization. Santiago: United Nations, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Flowerdew, R., and D. Martin. 2005. Methods in human geography, 2nd ed. Harlow: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gamble, D., D. Campbell, T. Allen, D. Barker, S. Scott Curtis, D. McGregor, and J. Popke. 2010. Climate change, drought, and Jamaican agriculture: Local knowledge and the climate record. Annals Association of American Geographers 100(4): 880–893.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant, S. 2013. Jamaica sugar annual report 2013. Kingston: USDA Office of Agricultural Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant, S. 2014. Jamaica sugar annual report 2014. Kingston: USDA Office of Agricultural Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, M. 2001. King sugar: Jamaica, the Caribbean, and the world sugar industry. New York: New York University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henry, M. 2006. Utech, Worthy Park to engineer ‘smart system’ for sugar production. The Jamaica Gleaner. http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060529/business/business2.html. Viewed 29 Dec 2009.

  • Jessop, D. 2009. One day all this will be gardening—Caribbean and Latin American producers. The Jamaica Gleaner. http://mobile.jamaica-gleaner.com/20091122/business/business7.php. Viewed 29 Dec 2009.

  • Kalirajan, K., and T. Shand. 1985. Types of education and agricultural productivity: A quantitative analysis of Tamil Nadu rice farming. Department of Economics and Statistics, National University of Singapore. http://nhjy.hzau.edu.cn/kech/nyjjx/zl/xueshulw/en/typespercent20ofpercent20educationpercent20andpercent20agriculturalpercent20productivity.pdf. Viewed 18 Jan 2010.

  • King, R., and S. Burton. 1982. Land fragmentation: Notes on a fundamental rural spatial problem. Progress in Human Geography 6: 475–494.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lapper, R. 2005. The Caribbean faces prospect of a life without sugar. The Financial Times. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1/d0ad4fe2-0ce9-11da-ba02-00000e2511c8.html#axzz3i6G94llX. Viewed 4 Jan 2010.

  • Lechner, F. 2009. Globalization: The making of world society. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luton, D. 2009. Rain pain, drought bout collide on Tufton’s plan. The Jamaica Gleaner. http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20091203/news/news3.html. Viewed 29 Dec 2009.

  • Maur, J. 2006. Coping with trade liberalisation adjustment. Policy Brief. Paris: Groupe d’Economie Mondiale de Sciences Po.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, J. 2007. Jamaica moves to boost sugar production—EU dividing St. Kitts quota amount four regional producers. The Jamaica Gleaner. http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070322/farm/farm1.html. Viewed 29 Dec 2009.

  • Padhy, C., and B. Jena. 2015. Effect of agricultural education on farmers efficiency: A review. International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences 3(2): 247–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards, P. 1985. Indigenous agricultural revolution: Ecology and food production in West Africa. London: Hutchinson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, D. 2007. Jamaica’s sugar cane story. The Jamaica Gleaner. http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070822/health/health4.html. Viewed 22 Dec 2009.

  • Robotham, D. 2008. Let them eat cassava. The Jamaica Gleaner. http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080420/focus/focus1.html. Viewed 29 Dec 2009.

  • Rose, D. 2007. Banana, sugar get more favourable deals. The Jamaica Gleaner. http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20071221/business/business6.html. Viewed 29 Dec 2009.

  • Simcoe-Read, H., E. Thomas-Hope, and B. Henoch. 2006. The development of a test case to set up a Jamaican entrepreneurial sustainable agriculture trading circle with the UK. International Conference on Caribbean Migration: Forced and Free. Kingston: University of the West Indies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, R. 2005. A review of agricultural policies: Case study of Jamaica. Kingston: University of the West Indies. http://www.caricom.org/jsp/community/agribusiness_forum/agri_policy_jamaica.pdf. Viewed 22 Apr 2009.

  • Spence, B. 1999. Spatio-evolutionary model of Jamaican small farming. The Geographical Journal 165(3): 296–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sugar Industry Authority. 2000. An overview of the sugar industry of Jamaica. http://www.jamaicasugar.org/Overview.html. Viewed 18 Jan 2010.

  • Thame, C. 2006. Sugar 30,000 tonnes off target—Speedy divestment needed to save industry, says James. The Jamaica Gleaner. http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060823/business/business7.html. Viewed 29 Dec 2009.

  • Welch, F. 1970. Education in production. Journal of Political Economics 77: 35–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Witter, M., and L. Brown. 2004. Trade liberalization: The Jamaican experience. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyss, B., and M. White. 2004. The effects of trade liberalization on Jamaica’s poor: An analysis of agriculture and services. Kingston: Jamaica.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Jamaica Gleaner. 2009. Why not Worthy Park and Appleton? The Jamaica Gleaner. http://mobile.jamaicagleaner.com/20090508/cleisure/cleisure1.php. Accessed 5 Jan 2010.

  • Authority Sugar Industry. 2010. Production of sugar in Jamaica: 2000–2009. Kingston: Sugar Industry Authority.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sugar Industry Authority. 2015. Average price received by small-scale farmers for tonne cane between 2003 and 2014. Kingston: Sugar Industry Authority.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jamaica, UK

    Dorlan Burrell

Authors
  1. Dorlan Burrell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dorlan Burrell .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada

    Clinton L. Beckford

  2. Department of Geography and Geology, University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica

    Kevon Rhiney

Copyright information

© 2016 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Burrell, D. (2016). The Decline of Preferential Markets and the Sugar Industry: A Case Study of Trade Liberalization in Central Jamaica. In: Beckford, C., Rhiney, K. (eds) Globalization, Agriculture and Food in the Caribbean. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53837-6_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53837-6_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-53836-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-53837-6

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation