Canadian Agri Food Trade Alliance

Canada-Caricom Free Trade Agreement

Established in 1973 through the Treaty of Chaguaranamas, the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) is an economic community of 15 Caribbean nations and dependencies committed to promote economic integration amongst nations of the Caribbean region. The organization is comprised of Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

The CARICOM countries represent a market of 74.6 million people and have a combined GDP of $74 billion. In 2014 CARICOM member countries imported $137.9 million worth of Canadian agri-food products; with Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas dominating as the top export markets.

The top Canadian agri-food exports to the region are: potatoes, pork, wheat products, processed food and beverage products, peas, beans, salted beef, turkey meats and miscellaneous prepared foods.

On July 1st, 2007 Canada and CARICOM launched negotiations on the Canada-CARICOM Free Trade Agreement, a regional trade pact that seeks to expand trade between Canada and the Caribbean economic community. Seven rounds of negotiations have been held with the latest official round taking place in April 2014.