Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, Phillip Paulwell is greeted by Vice President of the Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA), Marjorie Kennedy, while JEA President, Dr. Andre Gordon, observes. Occasion was the launch of National Export Week activities by the JEA, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel In order to effectively compete in the global marketplace, Jamaica must move to create value-added products for niche markets, produce new manufactured products and provide more science-based services, said Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, Phillip Paulwell. The Minister, who was addressing the launch of the Jamaica Exporters Association's National Export Week activities on June 12 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, said that whilst the island was blessed with a wide variety of natural resources, that in the past had yielded a prosperous primary commodity trade, with liberalization and new entrants in the market, as well as surpluses from improved productivity, and from technological progress, the prices of these tradables have continued to fall. "Our market is limited by its relatively small size, therefore we need to go for the high market and value-added products. We have to find innovative ways to harness our natural resources, through for example, placing agriculture and agri industry on a firmer technological foundation, supporting systems of innovation to optimally utilize resources, make use of traditional and indigenous knowledge, and create specific research and development and science and technology facilities to support small farmers, and deepening and expanding our ICT (information communication technology) competence," the Minister told the gathering. He said that achieving the objectives "will require judicious use of both local capability and global information and innovative solutions to old and new problems. Our export centre is therefore a vital part of our economy with the potential to contribute to economic growth, employment and development." Pointing out that a strong export base was generally regarded as a key component to economic growth, Mr. Paulwell emphasized that in order to compete successfully in foreign markets, local firms must have the appropriate knowledge and technological capabilities "through research and development activities or spillovers arising from other firms, both foreign and domestic". Indeed he said, "when we look at the range of research and development activities in Jamaica, we see a lot of opportunities for both small and large businesses in meeting domestic demand as well as in terms of export". Citing examples of such opportunities that were being taken advantage of, Mr. Paulwell informed, "we have a very impressive facility at Bodles (Research Station), where they are doing ongoing work in the breeding of high yielding pumpkin varieties to meet local and export demand". He also made note of the collaboration among the Jamaica Organic Agriculture Movement, the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), the University of the West Indies, and the Northern Caribbean University, in the implementation of a $20 million organic agriculture project, aimed at improving local organic agriculture capacity and increasing production of organic products. Mr. Paulwell also highlighted research being done at the Natural Products Institute in nutraceuticals, functional foods, essential oils, and pesticides from herbal extracts. "The Scientific Research Council's Tissue Culture Unit continues to engage in activities aimed at increasing the competitive position of the Jamaica agro industrial sector, through the production of high quality disease free planting materials and the development and selection of improved cultivar," he noted. The Minister pointed to the tax incentive scheme that has been established for research and development. This programme was developed by the National Commission on Science and Technology to provide duty and tax relief for purchases of material and equipment used in research and development. "To date, several organisations and researchers have benefited from this scheme," he told the stakeholder audience. Meanwhile, the Minister lauded the JEA for organizing the week of activities, noting that the observance came against the background of the Caribbean Single Market and "the need for us as a nation to be fully prepared for the challenges and opportunities within this increasingly sophisticated and competitive market". The JEA, as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, will be hosting a series of activities from June 12-19 to mark National Export Week. Included are two forums, the first of which was held on Tuesday, while the second forum on 'Leveraging Partnerships and Product Innovation to Build our Competitive Advantage', will be held today (June 14) at the Knutsford Court Hotel. On June 15, the Association will conduct company visits and a town hall meeting, while on June 16, the company visits will be continued. On June 17, the JEA's 40th anniversary awards banquet will be held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel and on June 19, a reception will be held in honour of champion exporters, along with the grand finale of National Export Week.