Jamaica Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in jamaica, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
Select Country Guide
Machinery and Transport Equipment
Last published date:

Overview

U.S. brands enjoy significant goodwill in the Jamaican market, underpinned by a long tradition of safety and quality. However, Jamaicans are increasingly price sensitive, leading to a diversion of trade to cheaper competitors. Nonetheless, U.S.-built machinery remains visible at construction sites, large farms, and industrial facilities. There is a strong market for telecommunications and data related products, batteries, and electrical components. Right-hand drive vehicles from Japan and Europe dominate the automotive market, but the United States remains a major source market for auto parts and accessories. 

Jamaicans have been slow to transition to electric vehicles (EV) due to the absence of an enabling environment, including the requisite infrastructure. In 2022, the government incentivized the purchase of electric vehicles by reducing the import duty from 30 percent to 10 percent for an initial five-year period. The government also approved a Motor Vehicle Import Policy to accommodate the EV incentives. Initially, the market featured high-end EVs, however more affordable options like hatchbacks and subcompact SUVs are becoming more popular. As of June 2022, lithium-ion batteries for use in solar applications are exempt from General Consumption Tax. 

 

Table: Total Market Size for Machinery & Transport Equipment ($M)

Machinery & Transport Equipment ($M)

202220232024
Total Exports231844
Total Imports134516241628
Imports from the US454503452
Trade Surplus/Deficit(1322)(1606)(1584)
Exchange Rates154.21154.99157.22

(Total market size = (total local production + imports) – exports); *N/A indicates no data are available

Source: STATIN

Leading Sub-sectors

Best prospects include portable automatic data processing machines, parts and accessories for printers, copying machines and facsimile machines, rims, shock absorbers, clutch and brake parts, tires, and general accessories, in addition to medical equipment and related after-sales parts and services.

Opportunities

Jamaican authorities monitor the quality of imports, and this scrutiny increases opportunities for higher quality aftermarket auto parts. The increasing use of liquified natural gas (LNG) and renewables in the energy mix and the emergence of e-mobility could also provide additional opportunities for products associated with energy and transportation industries.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is exploring the option of leasing medical equipment instead of making purchases as they do not have the technical capacity for efficient maintenance. Keeping in close contact with clients and delivering good after-sales service is therefore important to succeed in the market.

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility