Barbados Imports and Exports
Nov 3rd 2010, 8:19 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 40
Barbados Imports and Exports
Please can anyone tell me why Barbados and the other Caribbean islands have such a wealth of products in terms of food etc and still their percentage of imports outway their exports.
What is wrong with eating the local foods of the islands and helping each other instead of buying the brand and expensive name products from America, Canada and England.
For example the Barbados sugar, best in the world but we import sugar from Guyana. Why can't we use our own and plus export.
Anyway Bajans need to less sugar, everything has sugar even coleslow, Please.
Carapil
What is wrong with eating the local foods of the islands and helping each other instead of buying the brand and expensive name products from America, Canada and England.
For example the Barbados sugar, best in the world but we import sugar from Guyana. Why can't we use our own and plus export.
Anyway Bajans need to less sugar, everything has sugar even coleslow, Please.
Carapil
Nov 3rd 2010, 9:30 pm
#2
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 669
Re: Barbados Imports and Exports
Carapil...all I can say is onward and upward, bajans, of recent generations, have been conditioned to crave expensive imports...
Nov 4th 2010, 7:13 pm
#3
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 40
Re: Barbados Imports and Exports
Hi Zanne,
But why neglect their own produce and go after things they cannot afford. Don't they realise that they are helping each other.
LOCAL FOOD all the time, every time, very sweet, sweet, sweet. My mouth watering thinking about it.
Carapil
But why neglect their own produce and go after things they cannot afford. Don't they realise that they are helping each other.
LOCAL FOOD all the time, every time, very sweet, sweet, sweet. My mouth watering thinking about it.
Carapil
Nov 4th 2010, 7:41 pm
#4
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Posts: 669
Re: Barbados Imports and Exports
Why have Direct TV and a roof that is held on by dental floss? That's Barbados for you!
Nov 5th 2010, 2:40 pm
#5
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 96
Re: Barbados Imports and Exports
The majority of the demands have been created over the years by visitors and expats, who have far bigger spending budgets as the average bajan.
And most of it is bought by the same groups, go and check in the cupboards of locals, you will find little of it because they cannot afford it.
Sadly it is the glamour and tourism industry, which provides income for many people and at the same time has raised the cost of living by so much that locals have serious problems to survive let alone buy these imports.
And most of it is bought by the same groups, go and check in the cupboards of locals, you will find little of it because they cannot afford it.
Sadly it is the glamour and tourism industry, which provides income for many people and at the same time has raised the cost of living by so much that locals have serious problems to survive let alone buy these imports.
Nov 6th 2010, 12:01 pm
#6
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Barbados
Posts: 1,384
Re: Barbados Imports and Exports
ok.. let me see if I can shed a little light.. (hopefully I'm not giving wrong info).
1. sugar - I believe in the past there were contracts for the exportation of the sugar crop and part of that contract stated that ALL had to be exported. My uncle in law used to managed a plantation and each year my mother in law would get a large barrel of sugar from his crop. We would then share it among the families, till it ran out. This wasn't technically legal, but he did it (as most would). I don't know if that is still the case. I do know there is Barbados sugar for sale on the shelves, some more expensive than others.
2. fruits and veggies. those of you who live here should know by now that the local crop aint pretty..and people like pretty tings (good bajan dialect there). example.. my husbands family grows bananas.. however.. they are not pretty, what I mean is.. those bananas on the buffet at Sandy Lane are beautiful for a few days, nice and yellow.. the ones we have are not.. even when they are just ripe they usually have brown spots on them ext.. but we still eat them.. and they sell them to a vendor lady who sells them.. for the local market.
Same can be said for other products.. yes you can go to Brighton on Saturday mornings and get some really nice stuff, but it's not what you will find at the large hotels, who import most of their products.
We have a "kitchen Garden" .. something we have had for years.. but never really produced much.. would have to get the insectisides and pesticides all the other "cides" and covering and etc etc.. just to produce good products..
as for other imports.. canned things meats etc..
the earth in Barbados is limestone.. the grass that the cows/sheep/goats/ eat is not "rich grasslands" like in other countries (USA example). so the meat is tough and not very good.
Fish is great (we have 2 commercial fishing boats).. and the fish is good, when it's in season and plentiful.. but to the consumer it can get expensive because of all the processing costs.. and you will not get local shrimp or salmon or things like that.. so they have to be imported.
to sum it up in my opinion.. we are a small island. we import many things when makes the cost of even manufacturing expensive.. it's just how it is.. so people find it cheaper (haha) to import slap a 400pct mark up on it and go along..
1. sugar - I believe in the past there were contracts for the exportation of the sugar crop and part of that contract stated that ALL had to be exported. My uncle in law used to managed a plantation and each year my mother in law would get a large barrel of sugar from his crop. We would then share it among the families, till it ran out. This wasn't technically legal, but he did it (as most would). I don't know if that is still the case. I do know there is Barbados sugar for sale on the shelves, some more expensive than others.
2. fruits and veggies. those of you who live here should know by now that the local crop aint pretty..and people like pretty tings (good bajan dialect there). example.. my husbands family grows bananas.. however.. they are not pretty, what I mean is.. those bananas on the buffet at Sandy Lane are beautiful for a few days, nice and yellow.. the ones we have are not.. even when they are just ripe they usually have brown spots on them ext.. but we still eat them.. and they sell them to a vendor lady who sells them.. for the local market.
Same can be said for other products.. yes you can go to Brighton on Saturday mornings and get some really nice stuff, but it's not what you will find at the large hotels, who import most of their products.
We have a "kitchen Garden" .. something we have had for years.. but never really produced much.. would have to get the insectisides and pesticides all the other "cides" and covering and etc etc.. just to produce good products..
as for other imports.. canned things meats etc..
the earth in Barbados is limestone.. the grass that the cows/sheep/goats/ eat is not "rich grasslands" like in other countries (USA example). so the meat is tough and not very good.
Fish is great (we have 2 commercial fishing boats).. and the fish is good, when it's in season and plentiful.. but to the consumer it can get expensive because of all the processing costs.. and you will not get local shrimp or salmon or things like that.. so they have to be imported.
to sum it up in my opinion.. we are a small island. we import many things when makes the cost of even manufacturing expensive.. it's just how it is.. so people find it cheaper (haha) to import slap a 400pct mark up on it and go along..
Nov 6th 2010, 12:57 pm
#7
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 96
Re: Barbados Imports and Exports
Hi Sunnie,
To me you are correct in your statements, maybe i can add some:
1. Barbados sugar is of a higher quality as the foreign sugar. For that reason it was exported because of the earnings, receivings for export were higher as cost for import. and don't forget our rum industry, that uses up some too!
2. locals(and then I include other nationals who have been living here for donkeys years) are accustomed to local produce and will use it, lots of "others" will not because of how it looks, it still contains the same nutritions.
meat. is another point, not much to do with the lime stone more with the nature of the meat industry, the pork and chicken produced in barbados is or better quality as many places i have been, hence not allowed to be imported. But I believe we still need to import the feed for the animals.
Tenderness of meat is related to the age of the animal and the proces of curing the meat,
I have been involved in a livestock program for sheep and it was beautifull meat, however we cannot compete with the new Zealand prices becuase of their
unlimited pastures which is needed for cattle and sheep. and we don't have that, we allow the animals to grow up, that is more lbs to sell, but the quality of the meat gets less as the animal grows older, and there is no space in barbados, for raising large herds
to sum it up , most visitors(short or long term) to our lovely island are not eco tourists and they demand the same products they know from home.
When I first came here 30 years ago, (before the foreign rush) life and diet in barbados was a different story, and people were more satisfied as today.
A few business and other people in Barbados make lots of money on all this stuff , so have no illusion it will stop, it's called politics.
To me you are correct in your statements, maybe i can add some:
1. Barbados sugar is of a higher quality as the foreign sugar. For that reason it was exported because of the earnings, receivings for export were higher as cost for import. and don't forget our rum industry, that uses up some too!
2. locals(and then I include other nationals who have been living here for donkeys years) are accustomed to local produce and will use it, lots of "others" will not because of how it looks, it still contains the same nutritions.
meat. is another point, not much to do with the lime stone more with the nature of the meat industry, the pork and chicken produced in barbados is or better quality as many places i have been, hence not allowed to be imported. But I believe we still need to import the feed for the animals.
Tenderness of meat is related to the age of the animal and the proces of curing the meat,
I have been involved in a livestock program for sheep and it was beautifull meat, however we cannot compete with the new Zealand prices becuase of their
unlimited pastures which is needed for cattle and sheep. and we don't have that, we allow the animals to grow up, that is more lbs to sell, but the quality of the meat gets less as the animal grows older, and there is no space in barbados, for raising large herds
to sum it up , most visitors(short or long term) to our lovely island are not eco tourists and they demand the same products they know from home.
When I first came here 30 years ago, (before the foreign rush) life and diet in barbados was a different story, and people were more satisfied as today.
A few business and other people in Barbados make lots of money on all this stuff , so have no illusion it will stop, it's called politics.
Last edited by bamiskados; Nov 6th 2010 at 1:02 pm. Reason: addition
Nov 7th 2010, 12:08 am
#8
Just Joined
Joined: May 2010
Location: Between West Palm Beach, Fl and Barbados
Posts: 18
Re: Barbados Imports and Exports
Hi Sunnie,
To me you are correct in your statements, maybe i can add some:
1. Barbados sugar is of a higher quality as the foreign sugar. For that reason it was exported because of the earnings, receivings for export were higher as cost for import. and don't forget our rum industry, that uses up some too!
2. locals(and then I include other nationals who have been living here for donkeys years) are accustomed to local produce and will use it, lots of "others" will not because of how it looks, it still contains the same nutritions.
meat. is another point, not much to do with the lime stone more with the nature of the meat industry, the pork and chicken produced in barbados is or better quality as many places i have been, hence not allowed to be imported. But I believe we still need to import the feed for the animals.
Tenderness of meat is related to the age of the animal and the proces of curing the meat,
I have been involved in a livestock program for sheep and it was beautifull meat, however we cannot compete with the new Zealand prices becuase of their
unlimited pastures which is needed for cattle and sheep. and we don't have that, we allow the animals to grow up, that is more lbs to sell, but the quality of the meat gets less as the animal grows older, and there is no space in barbados, for raising large herds
to sum it up , most visitors(short or long term) to our lovely island are not eco tourists and they demand the same products they know from home.
When I first came here 30 years ago, (before the foreign rush) life and diet in barbados was a different story, and people were more satisfied as today.
A few business and other people in Barbados make lots of money on all this stuff , so have no illusion it will stop, it's called politics.
To me you are correct in your statements, maybe i can add some:
1. Barbados sugar is of a higher quality as the foreign sugar. For that reason it was exported because of the earnings, receivings for export were higher as cost for import. and don't forget our rum industry, that uses up some too!
2. locals(and then I include other nationals who have been living here for donkeys years) are accustomed to local produce and will use it, lots of "others" will not because of how it looks, it still contains the same nutritions.
meat. is another point, not much to do with the lime stone more with the nature of the meat industry, the pork and chicken produced in barbados is or better quality as many places i have been, hence not allowed to be imported. But I believe we still need to import the feed for the animals.
Tenderness of meat is related to the age of the animal and the proces of curing the meat,
I have been involved in a livestock program for sheep and it was beautifull meat, however we cannot compete with the new Zealand prices becuase of their
unlimited pastures which is needed for cattle and sheep. and we don't have that, we allow the animals to grow up, that is more lbs to sell, but the quality of the meat gets less as the animal grows older, and there is no space in barbados, for raising large herds
to sum it up , most visitors(short or long term) to our lovely island are not eco tourists and they demand the same products they know from home.
When I first came here 30 years ago, (before the foreign rush) life and diet in barbados was a different story, and people were more satisfied as today.
A few business and other people in Barbados make lots of money on all this stuff , so have no illusion it will stop, it's called politics.
1) My Uncle who also owns a Plantation used to grow crops like pumpkin, squash, watermelon, etc. He would invest in seed, labour, etc. Yet for several years just before he would harvest the crop criminals would come at night and steal most, what they couldn't steal they damaged. My Uncle knew the stores/restuarants that would by the crops and the police would never prosecute the thefts. This still happens all the time, look at the coconuts sold on the side of the road, much not all is stolen or the ackees the local population supports the thieves and the police refuse to stop it. My Great Aunt was told once by some young thieves that if she called the police because they were stealing her mangos and breadfruit they would hurt her. The next week she had some come and cut all 3 mangos, breadfruit, sugar apple, lome etc. for her safety. If the police do not stop the theft of farmers crops. Why should they grow more? It's easier to grow cane or sell the land.
2) The population of Barbados is so large that it would be difficult for enough local produce and meats to be grown to support the island. It far easier for an Island like Dominca to grow and export.
Nov 7th 2010, 9:33 am
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 96
Re: Barbados Imports and Exports
However ,to get back to the original point of this thread, the cost of our import bill. The part of so called "DRY GOODS"
when i walk into the super market and see freezer sections that grow larger every year, filled with stuff most bajans will not buy because they prefer to "produce" their own dishes, 50 different cereals, biscuits, crackers.
Spices and herbs, ECAF and the TRY-IT(Trinidad) have excellent products, why all the other stuff and I could go on.
IT is not( apart from a small select few) the Bajans who use these products.
Most people have an income UNDER BDS$2000.00 , they simply cannot afford to buy it.
All this is the price tag that hangs on to a large tourist /visitor industry. And because we are a small ISLAND , the cost of shipping is a large chunk of the price, and as long as the products are bought they will be brought in.
It is not only in Barbados, most Brits will know what happens on the mediteranian coasts and tourist areas, the majority of people who go abroad still want to eat the stuff they know from home, and are reluctant to try new things.
And where there is demand there is a market.
Maybe we should also look into our own shoppingbaskets before we go to check out.
CARAPIL, hope you got a little wiser from these answers.
