Fresh Agricultural Produce must be packaged in a certified packaging facility. Information on packaging facility specifications and guidelines can be accessed through the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce’s (MIIC) Plant Quarantine Department as well as a list of already certified facilities through which you may partner.
Meat, meat products and biproducts from animal must be certified by the Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce.
1. Register on ASYCUDA (if you are new to ASYCUDA).Click here to register
https://jets.jacustoms.gov.jm/portal/services/user/registration/index.jst
You are required to have a Tax Registration Number (TRN). If you are registering as a business, your business TRN and the personal TRN for the user are required. For individual registration, only your personal TRN is to be entered. The TRN fields require 13 digits, so kindly add zeros at the end; for e.g. 1234567890000.
Also, be sure to select exporter, and not importer, when you are prompted to. If you already have an ASYCUDA user account, proceed to Step 2.
NB: Should you experience any difficulties with the ASYCUDA user registration process, kindly contact the ASYCUDA/Jamaica Customs Agency Help Desk:
First Line Support : IMU Help Desk
Opening Hours: 8:30a.m. – 9:00a.m. Monday – Friday
email:helpdesk@jacustoms.gov.jm, mu@jacustoms.gov.jm and copy info@jamprocorp.com and trecia.jeffrey@jca.gov.jm
Phone: 1(876)750-3030, 1(876)922-5140-8 extensions 3030,3126,3127,3133
2. Click on ASYCUDA WORLD to login into the exporter registration portal, NB: JAVA is required to operate this platform.
3. Then open the Exporter Registration, portal. You will be required to complete the online registration form and upload the certificate of incorporation for your company (or to register in your individual capacity, upload your Government Identification card) and all other required supporting documents – approval letters/permits/licenses.
NB: If the JAMPRO folder is not seen in your document library, please contact the ASYCUDA Help Desk to update your record to reflect it. Also, ensure that you have all your required documents saved in pdf for upload to the system.
4.The exporter registration renewal fee of $3,500 and can also be paid online by accessing the Jamaica Customs Home page by following the steps below:
Other payment methods include payment by cash, cheque or debit/credit card at our Kingston office or bank transfers to JAMPRO’s account – National Commercial Bank, 1-7 Knutsford Boulevard Branch, Account No. 351858605 (JMD). Note that the JAMPRO, Montego Bay office is a non-cash branch.
The Trade Board Limited (TBL) is the designated authority to certify products which comply with the Rules of Origin of a given preferential trade scheme. This requires analyzing products and verifying their working processes to ensure they conform to the prescribed criteria of each trade scheme. The issuing of a Certificate of Origin permits the qualifying product to be granted duty concession, i.e., duty-free or reduction of duty.
Please note that the Certificate of Origin for the export of services is obtained from the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC).
Products are certified under the following trade schemes:
The Qualifying Criteria are as follows:
1. Goods to be exported must be analyzed by the Trade Board Limited (TBL) to determine qualification for duty-free entry. Exporters are required to complete a Product Analysis Form for each product to determine its origin criterion. Forms and instructions for their completion can be downloaded from the TBL website www.tradeboard.gov.jm
2. Completed Product Analysis Forms should be returned to the TBL accompanied by the relevant supporting documentary evidence e.g., C78, Commercial Invoice, to verify the cost, origin, and type of raw materials. In completing the Forms, applicants must:
3. A Certifying Officer from the TBL will visit the production facility to verify the analysis/information submitted, so as to ensure conformity with the outlined production process.
4. Following the site visit by TBL to determine whether or not the product(s) qualify based on the information submitted and the production site visited, exporters are then advised in writing whether or not the product qualifies for preferential treatment, under which agreement(s), and the origin criteria if applicable.
5. Application for a Certificate of Origin is permitted only if the required Product Analysis and approval have been done. This refers particularly to all manufactured products, including processed foods. For agricultural products, i.e., fresh produce, horticultural products, and local craft items, a certificate may be validated if the TBL Certifying Officer is satisfied that the products are of Jamaican origin.
6. For textile products to be exported, the JN2/JN3 Certificate is issued only to a registered manufacturer in accordance with the Trade (Certificate of Jamaican Origin) (Amendment) Regulations 2004.
7. A Textile Certificate or a Certificate of Origin may be issued to a registered exporter even if that exporter is not the manufacturer of the product to be exported, provided that the exporter presents written authority from the relevant manufacturer (whose product has already been approved by TBL for preferential export.
8. Exporters will be required to submit for validation, the following documents in order to claim duty-free or preferential treatment under the various Trade Schemes:
Exports of CMT Textile & Textile Products to Countries other than Canada
Exports of textile products for which Jamaican origin is not being claimed.
NB: Note that documents with correction fluid will not be accepted. All corrections must be crossed out and initialed.
The TBL emphasizes that to claim duty-free treatment under the various trade schemes, you will require:
Be reminded that applicants should be registered with JAMPRO as exporters. If applicants are not registered, they should visit JAMPRO to complete the registration process.
Safeguard Mechanisms are measures stipulated in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements on Anti-Dumping, Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and Safeguards through the Customs Duties Act in order to protect the domestic industry from an increase in imports of any product which is causing, or which threatens to cause, serious injury to the industry. A Safeguard Measure can take the form of a quantitative restriction (quota) on imports or the application of duty or tariff.
The Safeguard Mechanism under the CARICOM agreement is intended to allow for the importation of extra regional material to be used in the production of a finished product and still be eligible to qualify under the rules of origin. This is predominantly applicable where there is a regional content requirement for a product to qualify, most notably for juices.
The main criteria for approval of a safeguard certificate in when there is no production, insufficient production (quantity) and there is substandard inputs (quality) available.
To apply for a Safeguard Mechanism, contact the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce or visit their website to request a Safeguard Mechanism application form.
Information must be supplied on the efforts made to obtain the required material from within the Common Market (including identification of the Member State and companies from which the material had been obtained prior to the present notification of unavailability and the reasons for its reported unavailability.
Packing house must be strong enough to withstand the elements of nature. The structural frame of the packing house must be established using material that will facilitate proper washing, disinfecting and other means of sanitation.
NB: This 92.9M2 area does not include space for office, sanitary convenience, storeroom, lunchroom etc.
It is recommended that where the floor meets the wall it should be curved with no right angles (semicircle/curves to prevent water settling and allow for easy cleaning).
Adequate ventilation is crucial for proper storing and drying of agricultural produce. This can usually be provided by walls which leave a wide ventilation space beneath the overhanging roof.
A charcoal pit should be constructed for the disposal of unused chemical mixture. The minimum pit dimension should be 90cm (3ft) wide and 120cm (4ft) deep. The pit should be layered, first with a layer of clay, then charcoal, then a mixture of sand, marl and clay (1:2:1:1 ratio) and topped with charcoal.
Pesticides should be stored under dry, cool conditions and be securely locked away. Pesticides must be stored separate from produce and packaging materials. Storage must be in accordance with Pesticide Control Authority regulations. The appropriate chemicals should be used for the intended market. See Post-Harvest Treatment guidelines below:
Requirements for chemical/pesticide use in post-harvest operation:
The operational flow chart that outlines the one-way-flow system will help to design designated areas for storing finish produce and material in a manner that will help to prevent cross-contamination.
All packing houses must maintain proper operational hygiene in compliance with local and international standards.