Trade

CARICOM's trade relations with the Western hemisphere have undergone significant changes over the last decade.  During this period CARICOM's trade with its hemispheric partners noticeably increased as a percentage of its trade with the world as a whole.
In 1996 Heads of Government of CARICOM agreed to give priority to negotiating free trade agreements with selected countries in Latin America and the wider/greater Caribbean .
CARICOM bilateral trade accords include_

The CARICOM Fresh and Processed Market Opportunity Study was conducted during March and April 2009. The methodology used included desk research on production and trade databases, review of recent fresh and processed produce industry studies and field visits and interviews. The quality and reliability of the available production and trade data posed some limitations on the analysis. However, all attempts were made to validate the existing data and to ensure that the conclusions arrived at were in line with observed industry trends.

The CARICOM agricultural sector is characterized by a combination of small and medium-scale enterprises both at the primary and secondary stages of production. The historical domination of the sector by plantation export agriculture has all but disappeared in some countries but retains its significance in a select number. The bulk of the sector consists of highly diversified, mainly domestic-oriented enterprises.