G/STR/N/13/JAM, G/STR/N/14/JAM  
G/STR/N/15/JAM, G/STR/N/16/JAM  
 
17 August 2016 
(16-4419) Page: 1/4 
Working Party on State Trading Enterprises  Original: English  
 
 
STATE TRADING  
NOTIFICATION OF JAMAICA  PURSUANT TO ARTICLE X VII:4(A) OF  
THE GATT 1994 AND PA RAGRAP H 1 OF THE UNDERSTAN DING  
ON THE INTERPRETATION OF AR TICLE XVII  
 
The following communication, dated 16  August 2016, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Jamaica . 
 
_______________  
 
 
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries wishes to inform the Secretariat of 
the World Trade Organization (WTO) that there has been no change in the status of Jamaica's 
State Trading Enterprise s ince Jamaica's last full notification, which was made in June 2010.  
 
As previously notified to the WTO in 2010, the Jamaica Commodities Trading Company (JCTC) 
remains the only State Trading Enterprise maintained by Jamaica, and has been inactive since 
2008 when it was last reactivated in order to address a temporary commodity shortage.  
 
An updated questionnaire on the JCTC is attached for further information.  
 
I. ENUMERATION OF STATE TRADING ENTERPRISES  
 
A. Identification of state trading enterprises  
 
Jamai ca Commodity Trading Company Ltd. (JCTC)  
 
B. Description of products affected (including tariff item number(s) encompassed in 
product description).  
 
JCTC is not currently engaged in trading activities . 
  
II. REASON AND PURPOSE  
 
A. Reason or purpose for est ablishing and/or maintaining state trading enterprise.  
 
The mandate/objective of the JCTC is to act on behalf of the Government of Jamaica as a 
commercial importer and/or exporter of sensitive commodities where there are exceptional 
circumstances which req uire d irect Government intervention.  
 
B. Summary of legal basis for granting the relevant exclusive or special rights or 
privileges, including legal provisions and summary of statutory or constitutional 
powers.  
 
There are no statutory provisions conferring  special or exclusive rights on the JCTC.  Commodities 
traded by the JCTC can be imported/exported by any commercial trader.  
 G/STR/N/13/JAM • G/STR/N/14/JAM • G/STR/N/15/JAM • G/STR/N/16/JAM  
 
- 2 - 
 
  III. DESCRIPTION OF THE FUN CTIONING OF THE STATE TRADING ENTERPRISE  
 
A. Summary statement providing overview of operations of the s tate trading enterprise.  
 
The JCTC is a wholly owned government company.  Following a programme of trade liberalization, 
the company ’s activities were reduced and the company eventually became inactive.  It was  
reactivated in 2008 to act in exceptional circu mstances where there was need for government 
intervention to ensure stability in the supply and pricing of sensitive commodities.  
 
In 2008, the JCTC imported fertilizers to alleviate the difficulties being faced by Jamaican farmer s 
in obtaining adequate su pplies of the commodity at affordable rates.  
 
B. Specification of exclusive or special rights or privileges enjoyed by the state trading 
enterprise.  
 
No exclusive or special rights are currently enjoyed by the JCTC.   
 
C. Type of entities other than the st ate trading enterprise that are allowed to engage in 
importation/exportation and conditions for participation.  
 
Any commercial entity in J amaica may trade in commodities.  
 
D. How import/export levels are established by the state trading enterprise.  
 
JCTC i s not currently engaged in trading activities.  
 
E. How export prices are determined.  
 
JCTC is not currently engaged in trading activities.  
 
F. How the resale prices of imported products are determined.  
 
JCTC is not currently engaged in export activity.  
 
G. Whether long -term contracts are negotiated by the state trading enterprise.  Whether 
the state tradi ng enterprise is used to fulfil  contractual obligations entered into by the 
government.  
 
JCTC is not currently engaged in trading activities.  
 
H. Brief desc ription of market structure.  
 
JCTC is not currently engaged in trading activities.  
 
IV. STATISTICAL INFORMATION (SEE ATTACHED TABLE I)  
 
V. REASON WHY NO FOREIGN TRADE HAS TAKEN PLACE (AS APPROPRIATE)  
 
There has been no exceptional circumstances which requ ired government intervention through the 
JCTC.   
 
VI. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (AS APPROPRIATE)  
 
  
  G/STR/N/13/JAM • G/STR/N/14/JAM • G/STR/N/15/JAM • G/STR/N/16/JAM  
 
- 3 - TABLE 1  
STATE TRADING: JAMAI CA COMMODITY TRADING  COMPANY (JCTC)  
STATISTICAL INFORMAT ION, IMPORTS  
2010 
Description of 
products(s) 
(including HS 
number(s))  Total quantity 
imported  Quantity imported 
by state trading 
enterprise  Average import 
price Average representative 
domestic sales price  Mark-up  National production  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
  NO IMPORTS BY JCTC    
 
2011 
Description of 
products(s) 
(including HS 
number(s )) Total quantity 
imported  Quantity imported 
by state trading 
enterprise  Average import 
price Average representative 
domestic sales price  Mark-up  National production  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
  NO IMPORTS BY JCTC    
 
2012 
Description of 
products(s) 
(including HS  
number(s))  Total quantity 
imported  Quantity imported 
by state trading 
enterprise  Average import 
price Average representative 
domestic sales price  Mark-up  National production  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
  NO IMPORTS BY JCTC    
  
  G/STR/N/13/JAM • G/STR/N/14/JAM • G/STR/N/15/JAM • G/STR/N/16/JAM  
 
- 4 -  
2013 
Description of 
products(s) 
(including HS 
number(s))  Total quantity 
imported  Quantity imported 
by state trading 
enterprise  Average import 
price Average representative 
domestic sales price  Mark-up  National production  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
  NO IMPORTS BY JCTC    
 
2014 
Description of 
produ cts(s) 
(including HS 
number(s))  Total quantity 
imported  Quantity imported 
by state trading 
enterprise  Average import 
price Average representative 
domestic sales price  Mark-up  National production  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
  NO IMPORTS BY JCTC    
 
2015 
Description  of 
products(s) 
(including HS 
number(s))  Total quantity 
imported  Quantity imported 
by state trading 
enterprise  Average import 
price Average representative 
domestic sales price  Mark-up  National production  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
NO IMPORTS BY JCTC  
 
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