Story Highlights

• Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the development of a regional bamboo industry is critical in further diversifying the Caribbean’s agricultural product offerings.
• “Bamboo’s time has come… as we aim to extend the agro-based sector beyond the traditional crops of sugar, banana, coffee, cocoa and spices,” Senator Reid said while speaking during the opening ceremony for the Caribbean International Bamboo Symposium at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, on Tuesday (November 27).
• Senator Reid, who represented Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, noted that the global bamboo industry, which values approximately US$60 billion, “is big business”, which the Caribbean must seek to exploit.