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Jamaica’s spend on imports far outpaces export earnings in 2025, says STATIN
May 2, 2026
Posted 1 hour ago by
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s total spending on imports in 2025 was valued at US7,523.7 million, while earnings from total exports trailed way behind at just US1,652.2 million.The figures were released on Friday by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), in its latest International Merchandise Trade advisory.The figures show that for every US1.00 spent on imports in 2025, only US0.22 was earned from exports.STATIN also noted that total exports for the January to December 2025 period was 13.4 per cent lower than the US1,906.9 million earned in the similar 2024 review period.This was largely driven by a 20.4 per cent fall in the value of crude materials excluding fuels.
For 2025, the export to import coverage ratio, which measures the proportion of imports financed by export earnings, was 22.0 per cent compared to 26.2 per cent in 2024.According to STATIN, the value of imports increased by 3.2 per cent over the 12-month period, up from US7,287.9 million recorded in 2024. “This was driven by increased imports of raw material/intermediate goods and consumer goods, which increased by 10.5 per cent and 6.2 per cent, respectively,” said the Institute.Jamaica’s main trading partners during 2025 were the United States of America (USA), China, Brazil, Japan and Trinidad Tobago. Expenditure on imports of goods from these countries amounted to US4,680.0 million; an increase of 5.0 per cent when compared to US4,454.8 million earned in 2024.The top five destinations for Jamaica’s exports last year were the USA, the Russia Federation, Iceland, Canada and The Netherlands. Revenues from exports to these countries declined by 20.0 per cent to US1,428.4 million.
Jamaica Observer
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