User:JRiffenburgh/sandbox

Jamaican agriculture has been less prominent in GDP in the 2000's than other industries, hitting an all time low between 2004 and 2008. This may have been due to a reaction to increased competition as international trade policies were enacted. For example, as NAFTA was enacted in 1993, a significant amount of Caribbean exports to the United States diminished, being out competed by Latin American exports. Another example is the Banana Import Regime's 3rd phase, in which EU nations had first given priority in banana imports to previously colonized nations. Under pressure by the World Trade Organization, the EU policy was altered to provide a non-discriminatory trade agreement. Jamaica's banana industry was then easily outpriced by American companies exporting Latin American goods. Jamaica's agriculture industry is now bouncing back, growing from being 6.6% of GDP to 7.2%. The recent growth of the agriculture industry may lead to further improvements in unemployment and exports.