Northern Caribbean Trade Mission

Northern-Caribbean-Trade-Mission

The Saint Lucia Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA) embarked on a mission to the Northern Caribbean Islands of Tortola, St. Maarten and Anguilla. The trade event commenced Sunday October 12, and concluded on Saturday October 18, 2014.

The Mission was funded by the OECS Commission, the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) under the10th EDF Project and supported by the Grenada Ministry of Economic Development, Planning, Trade and Cooperatives and the Saint Lucia Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA).

A contingent of fifteen (15) business persons from across five sub sectors, (Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Agribusiness and Light Manufacturing) representing five independent OECS Member States namely Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia & St. Vincent participated in the mission.

The interactive undertaking served as a precursor for future trade activities and brought about a number of benefits in the following areas:

  • introduction and exposure of OECS manufacturers’ products to potential buyers in the markets;
  • meetings with key institutions namely Chambers of Commerce and other Ministerial Departments;
  • participating manufacturers became familiarized with competing products in markets
  • visited; and
  • opportunities for joint marketing of goods & other collaborative arrangements and exchanges among participants.

Three (3) St. Lucian manufacturers namely Natmed Ltd, Frootsy Foods Ltd and Saint Lucia Marketing Board (SMB) travelled to participate in the business mission.  The local companies were presented opportunities to introduce their products to the markets by establishing networking linkages with buyers of goods and services.

The countries visited during the mission have all benefited tremendously from the regional tourist trade and also provide great opportunities for OECS companies to increase intra-regional trade.

This activity provided participants with opportunities for increased learning and information dissemination as a means of facilitating trade. The initiative was aimed at strengthening regional ties and promoting trade in goods and services in aforementioned markets.