.
Table 6
BVI Imports of Selected Consumer Food Products, US$000s
|
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
Meat & Meat Preps
|
4,942
|
5,676
|
6,088
|
Dairy Products & Eggs
|
3,066
|
2,908
|
2,908
|
Fish and Fish Preps
|
1,755
|
1,848
|
2,048
|
Cereal Preparations
|
1,733
|
1,663
|
2,074
|
Vegetables & Fruits (and Preps)
|
7,051
|
7,750
|
8,469
|
Sugar, Sugar Preps, & Honey
|
398
|
425
|
448
|
Coffee, Cocoa, Tea, and Spices
|
689
|
775
|
845
|
Misc. Food Preparations
|
2,144
|
2,367
|
2,700
|
Total
|
21,778
|
23,412
|
25,580
|
Source: Development Planing Unit, BVI
|
|
|
|
Cayman Islands. Of the four markets studied here, the Cayman Islands offer the best prospect for direct shipments by US suppliers. However, the consumer food and beverage import market is still relatively small (under $80 million annually), and so Miami-based consolidators and wholesalers may offer the most economical means to ship to these islands -- particularly for smaller volume items. In fact, importers report that other supplying nations such as New Zealand and Australia often use Miami as a transhipment point for their exports to the Cayman Islands.
The high degree of the development of the tourism industry and the large number of US visitors are reflected in the broad range of US food and beverage items available locally. The Cayman Islands import large quantities of US items not normally imported in volume by other Caribbean markets. US milk exporters, which normally cannot compete with New Zealand in the rest of the Carribean, supply over $1 million annually to the Cayman Islands. Annual exports of US beer, wine, and soft drinks are also all over $1 million. US exports of corn chips and similar crispy snack foods exceeded $600 thousand in 1996.
According to US statistics, exports to the Cayman Islands of fresh fruits and vegetables are relatively weak, totaling less than $200 thousand annually. It is believed that US exports of these products (and others) are vastly underestimated by US Customs. One importer in the Cayman Islands reports receiving $60 thousand of fresh fruits and vegetables from the US per week. Therefore, while not appearing to be such from the available data, these items are actually a very good market prospect for US suppliers.
While most food and beverage items found in US supermarkets can be considered hot prospects for US exporters, the main high volume items will continue to be chicken, beef, frozen shrimp and lobster, milk, snack foods, breakfast cereals, beer, wine, rum, soft drinks and other flavored waters, fruit juices, and baked goods.
A breakdown of general food import categories is provided in Table 7 (based on key suppliers' export statistics) and Table 8 (based on more dated import statistics from the Cayman Islands).
Table 7
Cayman Islands Consumer Food Product Imports from Major Developed Suppliers, 1996, US$000
|
Products
|
US
|
Mkt Share
|
EU
|
Mkt Share
|
Canada
|
Mkt Share
|
TOTAL
|
02 Meat (fresh/frozen/dried)
|
2,052
|
94%
|
0
|
0%
|
134
|
6%
|
2,186
|
03 Fish & Seafood (fresh/frozen/dried)
|
1,192
|
100%
|
3
|
0%
|
0
|
0%
|
1,195
|
04 Dairy & Eggs
|
1,302
|
55%
|
1,066
|
45%
|
0
|
0%
|
2,368
|
07 Vegetables (fresh/frozen/dried)
|
181
|
97%
|
0
|
0%
|
6
|
3%
|
187
|
08 Fruit & Nuts (fresh/frozen/dried)
|
53
|
97%
|
1
|
3%
|
0
|
0%
|
54
|
09 Coffee, Tea, Mate & Spices
|
53
|
93%
|
4
|
7%
|
0
|
0%
|
57
|
16 Preparations of Meat and Fish
|
157
|
93%
|
12
|
7%
|
0
|
0%
|
169
|
17 Sugars & Sugar Confectionary
|
404
|
90%
|
19
|
4%
|
25
|
6%
|
448
|
18 Cocoa & Cocoa Preparations
|
188
|
60%
|
127
|
40%
|
0
|
0%
|
315
|
19 Preparations of Cereals
|
2,013
|
96%
|
63
|
3%
|
17
|
1%
|
2,093
|
20 Preparations of Vegetables & Fruits
|
2,373
|
73%
|
748
|
23%
|
119
|
4%
|
3,240
|
21 Miscellaneous Edible Preparations
|
4,170
|
92%
|
359
|
8%
|
2
|
0%
|
4,531
|
22 Beverages, Spirits & Vinegar
|
6,232
|
54%
|
5,294
|
46%
|
50
|
0%
|
11,575
|
TOTAL
|
20,370
|
72%
|
7,697
|
27%
|
352
|
1%
|
28,419
|
Source: Official export data of the US, Canada, and the EU
Note: Data is considered to be underestimated and does not take into account shipment from these suppliers that are transhipped through other Caribbean islands. Market share is based on imports from these three suppliers only (relying on their export statistics). Other suppliers are estimated to account no more than 20% to 40% of total imports.
|
Table 8
Cayman Imports of Selected Food Products, 1994 (US$000s)
|
Vegetables, Fruit, Nuts (and preps)
|
10,045
|
Sugar, Sugar Preps & Honey
|
636
|
Coffee, Tea, Cocoa, Spices (& preps)
|
2,481
|
Misc Edible Products
|
501
|
Meat and Meat Preps
|
10,829
|
Dairy Products and Eggs
|
5,897
|
Fish & Preps
|
3,021
|
Cereals Preps (not grains)
|
5,541
|
Beverages (not juices)
|
11,868
|
Total
|
50,820
|
Source: Economics and Statistics Office, Govt. of the Cayman Islands
|
Turks and Caicos. Total consumer food imports are estimated to not exceed $15 million annually. The US is by far the largest supplier, followed by the EU (chiefly the UK). Importers report that much lower volumes also enter from the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad. Most US product is shipped directly from the US; it is not transhipped from larger Caribbean markets. Because of the size of the market, US producers should use Miami based consolidators and wholesalers to enter this market. Higher volume items include chicken, beef, pork, frozen tuna, frozen vegetables, beer, soft drinks, canned foods, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Imports of each of these items, however, is generally below $400 each annually, often much lower.
A breakdown of general food import categories is provided in Table 9 (based on key suppliers' export statistics). Import statistics were not available from the Government of the Turks and Caicos.
Table 9
Turks & Caicos Consumer Food Product Imports from Major Developed Suppliers, 1996, US$000
|
Products
|
US
|
Mkt Share
|
EU
|
Mkt Share
|
Canada
|
Mkt Share
|
TOTAL
|
02 Meat (fresh/frozen/dried)
|
1,031
|
99%
|
0
|
0%
|
9
|
1%
|
1,040
|
03 Fish & Seafood (fresh/frozen/dried)
|
258
|
100%
|
0
|
0%
|
0
|
0%
|
258
|
04 Dairy & Eggs
|
33
|
20%
|
129
|
80%
|
0
|
0%
|
162
|
07 Vegetables (fresh/frozen/dried)
|
287
|
96%
|
11
|
4%
|
0
|
0%
|
298
|
08 Fruit & Nuts (fresh/frozen/dried)
|
139
|
100%
|
0
|
0%
|
0
|
0%
|
139
|
09 Coffee, Tea, Mate & Spices
|
4
|
100%
|
0
|
0%
|
0
|
0%
|
4
|
16 Preparations of Meat and Fish
|
28
|
100%
|
0
|
0%
|
0
|
0%
|
28
|
17 Sugars & Sugar Confectionary
|
148
|
63%
|
78
|
33%
|
10
|
4%
|
236
|
18 Cocoa & Cocoa Preparations
|
4
|
6%
|
67
|
94%
|
0
|
0%
|
71
|
19 Preparations of Cereals
|
103
|
80%
|
26
|
20%
|
0
|
0%
|
129
|
20 Preparations of Vegetables & Fruits
|
232
|
99%
|
3
|
1%
|
0
|
0%
|
235
|
21 Miscellaneous Edible Preparations
|
1,485
|
97%
|
45
|
3%
|
2
|
0%
|
1,533
|
22 Beverages, Spirits & Vinegar
|
925
|
56%
|
723
|
44%
|
4
|
0%
|
1,652
|
TOTAL
|
4,677
|
81%
|
1,082
|
19%
|
26
|
0%
|
5,785
|
Source: Official export data of the US, Canada, and the EU
Note: Data is considered to be underestimated and does not take into account shipment from these suppliers that are transhipped through other Caribbean islands. Market share is based on imports from these three suppliers only (relying on their export statistics). Other suppliers are estimated to account no more than 20% to 40% of total imports.
|
Table 10
Best Prospects for US Exporters to the Caribbean Dependent Territories
|
Product
|
Best Markets
|
US Potential
|
Notes
|
Frozen Chicken
|
All markets
|
High
|
US dominates current market; market expected to remain strong.
|
Beef (fresh or frozen)
|
Cayman Islands
Turks & Caicos
BVI
|
High
Medium
Medium
|
No US exports to Anguilla reported in 1996, although transshipments are possible from neighboring islands.
|
Pork (fresh or frozen)
|
Turks & Caicos
|
Medium
|
All other markets imported less than $50 thousand of pork from the US in 1996.
|
Frozen Seafood
|
Turks & Caicos
Cayman Islands
|
Medium
High
|
Mostly frozen tuna to Turks & Caicos. Best prospects to Caymans are frozen shrimp and lobster.
|
Milk/Cheese/Butter
|
Cayman Islands
|
High
|
With the exception of the Cayman Islands, the US is only a minor supplier of these items. Supplies from EU and New Zealand dominate throughout the Caribbean. May be room for increased exports by US suppliers if they can compete with these sources on price.
|
Fresh/Frozen Fruits and Vegetables
|
Cayman Islands
BVI
Turks & Caicos
|
High
High
Medium
|
Agricultural production very low in all islands. Regional exporters can only supply limited varieties. US is very strong in fresh temperate fruits and vegetables, as well as frozen product.
|
Other Processed Food Products
|
Cayman Islands
BVI
Turks & Caicos
Anguilla
|
High
Medium
Medium
Low
|
Based on size, the best market for all products is the Cayman Islands, which import sizeable quantities of items such as corn chips & other snack foods, cereals, pastry items, canned fruits & vegetables, condiments, and other processed food items. All markets, however, have US-sourced items on supermarket shelves. Lower market size prospects given for the other three markets is indicative of the size of the market for individual items, not for all items combined.
|
Alcoholic Beverages
|
Cayman Islands
Turks & Caicos
BVI
|
High
Medium
High
|
Beer, sparkling & non-sparkling wine, rum.
Beer.
Beer, wine, rum.
|
Non-Alcoholic Beverages
|
Cayman Islands
Turks & Caicos
BVI
|
High
Medium
High
|
Carbonated soft drinks, flavored waters, fruit juice.
Carbonated soft drinks, bottle water, fruit juice.
Carbonated soft drinks, fruit juice.
|
Key for Market Size Potential: High (over $500 thousand), Medium ($100 thousand to $500 thousand), Low (under $100 thousand)
|
Appendix 1
Representative Tariff Rates
|
Rate of Duty In
|
HS CODE
|
PRODUCT
|
ANGUILLA
|
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
|
CAYMAN ISLANDS
|
02.01
|
Beef, fresh
|
5%
|
5 %
|
15%
|
02.02
|
Beef, frozen
|
5%
|
5 %
|
15 %
|
02.07
|
Chicken, frozen
|
Free
|
Free
|
Free
|
04.01
|
Milk, whole
|
5%
|
5 %
|
Free
|
04.05
|
Butter
|
20
|
Free
|
20 %
|
04.06
|
Cheese
|
5%
|
5 %
|
Free
|
07.01
|
Potatoes
|
Free
|
5 %
|
Free
|
07.05
|
Lettuce
|
5%
|
Free
|
15 %
|
07.10
|
Vegetables, mixed frozen
|
5%
|
5 %
|
15 %
|
08.05
|
Oranges, fresh
|
Free
|
5 %
|
15 %
|
08.08
|
Apples, fresh
|
Free
|
5 %
|
15 %
|
16.02
|
Beef, canned
|
15%
|
5 %
|
20 %
|
16.04
|
Tuna, canned
|
15%
|
5 %
|
20 %
|
19.04
|
Breakfast Cereal
|
15%
|
10 %
|
Free
|
20.05
|
Peas, canned
|
15%
|
5 %
|
20 %
|
20.09
|
Apple Juice
|
5%
|
10 %
|
20 %
|
21.03
|
Tomato Ketchup
|
20%
|
10 %
|
20 %
|
21.03
|
Mayonnaise
|
20%
|
10 %
|
20 %
|
21.06
|
Corn Chips
|
20%
|
5 %
|
20 %
|
22.03
|
Beer, malt
|
30%
|
U.S.$1.10 per gal.
|
EC$1.50 per liter
|
22.04
|
Wine
|
30%
|
U.S.$1.20 per gal.
|
EC$3.00 per liter
|
Sources: Anguilla, BVI, and Caymans Customs Departments
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