Barbados exports almost $90M to T&T
Wednesday May 04 2011 | 01:46 AM

ALMOST $90 million in exports to Trinidad and Tobago last year!

These are what trade figures are showing as Barbados looks to widen the sale of goods manufactured here to regional markets, and even as the trade balance between the two countries remains heavily in favour of Port of Spain.

Trade statistics compiled by the Barbados Statistical Department and published by the Central Bank of Barbados have shown that in 2010 Barbados exported goods worth $89.4 million to Trinidad and Tobago. 
The twin-island Republic is this country’s most lucrative market in CARICOM.

It is the first time Barbados has sold that volume of goods to the Trinidadian market and appears to be based on the performance of a few export sub-sectors notably chemicals and energy. 

Apart from the two lines, Barbados also export to Trinidad and Tobago, food and beverages among a range of products.

In 2009 Barbadian exports to Trinidad and Tobago were valued at about $68.0 million, according to the trade data.

However, while Barbados reported an increase in exports to Trinidad trade between the two CARICOM states continues to be stacked in Trinidad’s favour.

The figures revealed that last year imports from Trinidad and Tobago totaled $748.5 million, a pick up from the $631.4 million the previous year. 

These figures are largely influenced by oil imports since Trinidad and Tobago is Barbados’ main supplier of energy products, as well as food.

Barbados has been mounting missions across the Caribbean in search of new export opportunities. In addition, the Pine Hill Dairy which also sells products to regional countries had some setbacks last year given a re-engineering project taking place at the company and which officials there said led to some stock-outs.
However, they said these issues have been sorted out and that production increased during the month of March (2011).