THE total non-energy exports of Trinidad and Tobago has increased by 22% from January to June in 2019 when compared to the same period in 2018.
This according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry which stated on Thursday that the value of TT’s total non-energy exports grew from $4.97 billion during January to June 2018 compared to $6.07 billion over the same period last year.
Non-energy exports performed well in products and sectors to both traditional and non-traditional markets including those in Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union, the Trade and Industry Ministry stated.
Heading the list was non-alcoholic beverages with plastic bottles making the top three.
The ministry stated that the improvement in the country’s non-energy export performance from 2018 to 2019 was directly attributable to various measures undertaken by the ministry and its agencies such as exporTT and other stakeholders to boost the performance of the non-energy sector over the past four years.
It stated that it has been resolute in its pursuit of trade missions to targeted countries such as Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Panama among others.
The ministry stated, “Further to this, the ministry has been focused on executing its mandate to create new economic spaces and infrastructure to facilitate private sector development especially in the non-energy sector.”
It added, “These include but are not limited to the development of the Moruga Agro-Processing and Light Industrial Park, the Phoenix Park Industrial Estate in Couva and the completion of 21 lots at the Tamana In Tech Park in Waller-field.”
The Ministry stated that to guide this overall thrust to improve and expand the non-energy sector in TT, the Government also launched a National Trade Policy (2019-2023) and a Special Economic Zones Policy for T&T in 2019 to serve as road maps to guide the progress of the non-energy sector in 2020 and beyond.
