Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 7/14/2006

**GAIN Report Number:** JM6005

JM2006

**Jamaica & Dep**

**Biotechnology**

**Annual**

**2006**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Jamie Rothschild

U.S. Embassy, Santo Domingo

**Prepared by:**

Sylburn Thomas

**Report Highlights:**

Jamaica\'s biotechnology policy and advances towards commercial
production of transgenic remains largely unchanged from 2005. At the
policy level, the country has made progress towards finalizing draft
documents (Biotechnology Policy and Act) for parliamentary
consideration. The draft Biosafety Policy and Act are expected to be
enacted into law during 2007. The sections of the report that have been
updated are: 2.1, 2.2, 3.0, and 5.0.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Annual Report

Kingston \[JM1\]

\[JM\]

# 1.0 Executive Summary

Jamaica is an important market for U.S. bulk agricultural products
(corn, rice and wheat), intermediate products (soybean meal and crude
oil), and high value products (refined soybean oils, snack foods, etc),
with a total value of approximately USD 214 million during calendar year
2005. In the future, imports of U.S. food and agricultural products will
be influenced increasingly by the nature of Jamaica's biotechnology and
bio-safety policies. As a party to the Convention on Biological
Diversity and a signatory to the Cartagena Protocol on Bio-safety (CPB),
Jamaica's biotechnology policies seek a balance between the economic
benefits of genetic engineering and the preservation of biological
diversity. Jamaica is currently developing legislation to ratify the
CPB. The present regulatory framework governing the importation,
development and use of the products of modern biotechnology is in the
draft stage. Regulations for the importation of genetically modified
organisms (GMO) for laboratory purposes are well established. Jamaica
prohibits the commercial introduction of living modified organisms (LMO)
into the natural environment. At present, Jamaica is monitoring the
field trials of genetic engineered papaya. However, the lack of national
regulatory guidelines is expected to delay the commercialization of GMOs
in Jamaica.

# 

# 2.0 Biotechnology Trade and Production

**2.1 Production**

There is no commercial production of transgenic (biotechnology) crops in
Jamaica. The Biotechnology Center of the University of the West Indies
is currently in the advance stage of developing a transgenic variety of
papaya (*Carica papaya L.)* that is resistant to the Papaya Ringspot
Virus. Laboratory experiments are also being conducted to develop
transgenic varieties of West Indian Sea Island Cotton (*Gossypium
barbadense L*) that are resistant to domestic plant pests. Jamaica's
National Biotechnology Strategy extensively incorporates the potential
to apply the tools of modern biotechnology to specific crops that are of
economic importance to Jamaica, including hot pepper (*Capsicum
chinense)*, pumpkin (*Cucubita pepo L.*) and citrus (*Citrus sinensis*).

During the early to mid-1990's Jamaica's papaya industry experienced an
intense resurgence of the Papaya Ring spot Virus (PRSV), which
devastated the industry and threatened the economic livelihood of
farmers and others along the distribution chain. Cultivation of papaya
in Jamaica is estimated to have declined under the attack of the PRSV
from approximately 405 hectares in the early to mid-1990's to less than
180 hectares at present. Like other papaya producing territories, such
as Hawaii, Thailand, Venezuela, and Brazil, where genetic resistance to
the PRSV is not naturally available, Jamaica embarked on developing a
transgenic variety resistant to the Jamaican isolate of the PRSV. The
project adopted the concept of pathogen-derived resistance, using the
coat protein gene of a mild mutant of the Jamaican PRSV.

The project has successfully progressed to the field trial stage, and
has produced transgenic lines of papaya with varying degrees of
resistance to the PRSV. The project continues to explore other gene
constructs with the potential for elevated resistance to the pathogen.
Commercial production of the transgenic variety is hampered by the lack
of national policies to govern the deregulation and commercialization of
products of modern biotechnology in Jamaica, and considerations with the
level of disease resistance. The National Bio-safety Committee (NBC),
the arm of the National Commission on Science and Technology that is
mandated to regulate the development, import, handling, and production
of Genetically Modified Organisms in Jamaica, continues to monitor the
field and greenhouse trials. The attempt to develop transgenic varieties
of Sea Island Cotton (*Gossypium barbadense L*) that are resistant to
domestic insect pests began in the Department of Basic Medical Science
of the University of the West Indies, during 2002. The project remains
in the laboratory stage and is being monitored by the NBC. Work on
scotch bonnet peppers and pumpkin remains as traditional selection.
However, biotechnology is widely seen in the scientific community as a
viable alternative to develop disease resistant varieties.

# 2.2 TRADE

Currently Jamaica has no regulations governing the importation of Living
Modified Organisms (LMO) for animal feed or processing (such as grain
corn and soybean), or high value products that are derived from GMOs
(such as cooking oil). However, there are regulations governing the
importation of LMOs for experimental purposes. The importation of LMOs
for intentional commercial release into the natural environment is
prohibited. The draft Biosafety Policy and Act, are expected to be
submitted to parliament this year prior to the ratification of the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafty (CPB). The CPB will provide the framework
for regulating LMO's at all levels in trade, development and production.

Jamaica's livestock industry continues to achieve increased
efficiencies, partly due to the availability of low-priced, high-quality
imported grains (corn and soybeans) from the United States. Currently
there is no identity preservation (IP) program, or other regulations in
Jamaica that requires the segregation of shipments of grains, or other
bulk agricultural commodities into GMO-free products, or that
establishes minimum tolerance levels for contamination. However, these
issues will likely be addressed by the draft Biosafety Policy, in
accordance with the requisite provisions of the CPB. Jamaica is also a
beneficiary of food aid from the United States, typically in the form of
wheat flour, soybean oil, cornmeal, and whole milk powder. At the retail
level, processed products are not monitored or regulated for GMO
content, despite calls from consumer groups for mandatory labeling of
such products. Jamaica's draft National Biotechnology Policy is
explicitly skewed towards mandatory labeling of products of modern
biotechnology. This is a direct reflection of public opinion in Jamaica.

Under the Plants Quarantine Act, Jamaica has legislated the Plants
(Importation) Control Regulations in 1997 to govern the importation of
LMOs for the purpose of experimentation under controlled conditions. The
regulations requires that all importers must apply to the National
Bio-safety Committee for permission to import such products, and, upon
approval, the application is submitted to the Plant Quarantine Division
for granting of a permit by the Chief Plant Quarantine Officer. The NBC
considers, chief among an array of variables, the importer's ability to
enforce adequate procedures and safeguards to ensure that no
contamination by or release of the plant, seed, cutting, or other plant
parts, which is detrimental to the health or safety of any human, animal
or other living organism will occur at the port of entry or in the
country. In addition to very stringent stipulations on the physical
characteristics of the packaging container, materials, and the size of
the plant or plant part, the regulation requires that individual
packages be labeled, indicating, inter alia: the content, place of
origin, name and address of consignee and consignor, along with
respective telephone numbers, a statement indicating that the
propagative material is derived from genetic engineering procedures and
possesses novel traits along with the notation " For experimentation
purposes only, not for sale or reuse."

**3.0 BIOTECHNOLOGY POLICIES**

Jamaica is a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and
is currently drafting a comprehensive biosafety-specific legislation and
policy (National Biosafety Framework) to support the ratification of the
Cartagena Protocol on Bio-safety (CPB), and the full implementation of
its relevant provisions. In accordance with the CPB, the National Bio-
safety Framework focuses primarily on developing regulations to ensure
adequate protection in the safe transfer (import, export and transit),
handling, contained use, deliberate release or placing on the market of
any LMOs that may have adverse effects on the conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity, taking into account risks to
human health. The Framework specifically addresses LMOs for intentional
introduction into the natural environment, and GMOs that are to be used
directly for food, feed or processing, omitting pharmaceutical products
and high-value products derived from GMOs.

Although the framework gives adequate consideration to the use of
science-based risk assessment, given Jamaica's inherent lack of capacity
in conducting frequent and adequate risk analysis, the implementation of
the framework is expected to be heavily skewed towards adopting the
precautionary principle, as is provided in Article 15 of the Rio
Declaration on Environment and Development and reiterated in the CPB. In
fact, Jamaica's draft National Biotechnology strategy accommodates risk
analysis based on the precautionary principle. The Biosafety Policy and
Act are expected to be legislated during early 2007 for ratification of
the CPB during the same year.

Presently, Jamaica has a fragmented institutional structure for the
regulation of activities and procedures relevant to biotechnology and
bio-safety. The Ministry of Agriculture administers the Plant Quarantine
and Animal (Disease and Importation) Acts, which are implemented
respectively through the Plant Quarantine Division and the Veterinary
Services Division to regulate the importation of plants and plant parts,
and live animals and animal products, respectively. The National
Environment and Planning Agency administers the Natural Resources and
Conservation Act, which directly relates to the conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity. The Ministry of Health
administers the Food and Drug Act; the Pharmacy Act; the Pesticides Act
and the Public Health Act. The Ministry of Commerce, Science, and
Technology administers the Standards Act, under which the labeling
policies of the county are developed. The National Bio-safety Committee,
the arm of the National Commission on Science and Technology that is
mandated to develop procedural guidelines for the importation,
production, development and use of products of biotechnology in Jamaica,
advises the Cabinet on issues pertaining to biotechnology and
bio-safety. The NBC also grants approval for the importation of LMOs for
experimental purposes. Under the Bio-safety Strategy, there should be
significant institutional rationalization to establish a Competent
Authority and National Focal Point, pursuant to the obligations of the
CPB. Further, the consideration for institutional amalgamation across
the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is explored in Jamaica's draft
biotechnology strategy and could be one of the most effective methods of
building scientific capacity within CARICOM.

Jamaica has shown commitment to the tenets of the CPB, including the
Advance Information Agreement, which provides strict guidelines for the
importation of LMOs for intentional release into the environment. Given
that this is the greatest area of concern for member countries, Jamaica
is expected to adopt, in full, the strict language of the CPB to govern
such imports. The country has established a bio-safety clearing-house
(BCH) and is actively exchanging pertinent information with other
contracting parties. With respect to LMOs for feed, food or processing,
the national strategy is also expected to adopt the text of the CPB as
sufficient.

While the CPB omits clear guidelines on the labeling of GMO, beyond the
relevant categories of LMOs, labeling of products derived from genetic
engineering remains one of the most contentious topics for consumers and
consumer groups in Jamaica. The general consensus among consumer groups,
policy makers, and scientists is to legislate mandatory labeling of all
products derived from or containing products of genetic engineering,
irrespective of the extent of detectable modified DNA or protein. The
National Bio-safety Framework is expected to reflect the desires of the
populace, as far as this subject is concerned. The ratification of the
CPB is high on Jamaica's list of priorities, especially due to the small
size of the country, its rich biodiversity (ranking number five in the
world among island states), the increasing emphasis on the
neutraceutical industry, which depends on the country's unique
biological resources and the preservation of endemic biological
resources. In this context, the draft legislation and policies to
support the ascension to membership of the CPB is expected to progress
with urgency. It is the belief among policy makers that Jamaica should
ratify the agreement during 2007.

The field trials of transgenic papaya in Jamaica, the only transgenic
product in the history of the country to progress to this stage, are
limited to one-acre plots. At present there is only one trial plot
located in central Jamaica. There are guidelines developed by the NBC to
monitor the field-trial process. Jamaica does not, however, allow the
field-testing of LMOs that are derived outside of the borders of the
country. Further, from a marketing and scientific standpoint, Jamaica
does not allow the coexistence of transgenic and conventional products.
The NBC establishes minimum distance between transgenic varieties
(trials) and other conventional products of the same genus. Apart from
the scientific justification of not planting adjacent trial transgenic
and conventional fields, Jamaica is concerned with any possible market
repercussions in the European Union from its biotechnology program. In
fact, the position adopted by Jamaican regulators, with respect to
mandatory labeling of GMOs, is possibly influenced by existing European
policies.

Jamaica's National Biotechnology Strategy emphasizes a balance between
the economic benefits of biotechnology and any associated adverse effect
to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking
into account risks to human health.

# 4.0 MARKET ISSUES

While the domestic media has resisted sensationalizing the consumption
of genetically engineered products, consumer sentiments in other parts
of the world, especially Europe, have been extended to Jamaican
consumer. The Consumer Affairs Commission and the National Consumer
League have repeatedly asserted their position of the mandatory labeling
of products derived from GMO, in support of consumers right to full
information to make informed purchasing decisions. Retailers, bulk
commodity importers, and livestock farmers have shown the strongest
support for GMOs in Jamaica. Their views are rationalized based on the
price competitiveness and nutritional enhancement of GE products. The
mandatory labeling of GE products should not significantly affect the
imports of bulk agricultural commodities, if it is not associated with
an identity preservation program. In the latter case this would increase
the price of grains and animal feeds to the livestock sector. Given the
importance of the livestock industry to Jamaica's agricultural sector
and the political influence of the major players in the industry, an IP
program is not anticipated in the legislation. On the retail side
however, mandatory labeling of such products could produce a temporary
decline in sales of products derived from GMO. The positive attitudes of
Jamaican retailers towards products derived from GMO will help to reduce
consumers' fears and anxieties. Retailers are generally more concerned
with providing variety of products to suit consumers taste / preference
and budget. Further, the per capita income, and resultant price
sensitivity of Jamaican consumers will not support the types of
consumption patterns as observed in Europe and other developed
territories.

# 5.0 CAPACITY BUILDING

Jamaica continues to build technical capacities in biotechnology through
its academic programs and research centers. Further collaboration with
international counterparts will assist the country in advancing its
biotechnology agenda and realizing the associated socio- economic
benefits. Expertise in the areas of biosafety risk analysis,
traceability and testing are crucial to the country's biotechnology
program. USDA's efforts in this respect have focused on biosafety risk
analysis and information exchange at the government level.