Jamaica’s Ginger Goldmine

Salada Foods Positioned to Capitalise on Global Export Gaps

Floyd Green, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining samples Jamaica Mountain Peak Ginger Tea following a demonstration of key quality control tests, as Salada Foods’ General Manager Tamii Brown enthusiastically awaits his feedback. Quality Assurance Manager Nadine Francis observes in the background.

Salada Foods Limited is being recognised as a key player in Jamaica’s drive to reclaim global market share in the ginger and turmeric industry. The endorsement came during a high-level tour of the company’s agro-processing facility recently by the Honourable Floyd Green, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining.

Minister Green praised Salada’s vertically integrated model and emphasised the company’s role not just as a manufacturer, but as a critical stakeholder in the agricultural value chain.

“Too often we try to divorce companies like Salada from agriculture by placing them strictly in the manufacturing category,” said Minister Green during the tour. “But Salada is an agricultural company—one that is adding tremendous value to local crops such as ginger and turmeric. What you’ve done here, in terms of product development and innovation, especially with Jamaican ginger and turmeric, is a strong example of the type of value-added manufacturing we are encouraging.”

(From left) Operations Manager Stephen Lloyd, General Manager Tamii Brown, guide Minister Floyd Green through intricate machinery behind Salada’s spray-drying process - the innovation at the heart of crafting Jamaica Mountain Peak’s signature teas including Ginger and Ginger Turmeric, to perfection.

Salada’s investment in spray-drying technology and its commitment to sourcing locally has positioned it to respond to changing global market conditions. The company has committed to purchasing 100,000 pounds of Jamaican ginger from local farmers this year as part of a broader strategy to expand its product lines and supply chain resilience. This comes amid rising international demand and significant tariffs—ranging from 26 per cent to 125 per cent—on ginger and turmeric exports from traditional suppliers like China, India, and Thailand.

“Jamaica’s ginger is proven to be four times stronger than many of the varieties on the global market, and our turmeric is three times better,” Green added. “That puts our producers and processors in a prime position to serve high-value markets if we build the production base to support it. That’s why the Ministry has committed US$20 million over five years to expand ginger and turmeric production, with greenhouse and clean-planting initiatives already showing success.”

Tamii Brown, General Manager at Salada Foods, engages Minister Floyd Green and delegates from key agencies of the agricultural sector including the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and the Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC) during a briefing session ahead of a recent factory tour.

Salada’s factory, located on Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston, is Safe Quality Food (SQF) Level 2-certified with advanced capabilities for the production and packaging of instant coffee, ginger, turmeric, and other locally sourced agricultural products. In addition to manufacturing, the company partners directly with farmers in Clarendon, Manchester, and Westmoreland, and with processing plants like Tradewinds Citrus for the extraction of ginger and turmeric.

Tamii Brown, General Manager of Salada Foods, welcomed the Minister’s remarks and the government’s support for the sector.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to share how Salada contributes to agricultural development through our manufacturing capabilities and local sourcing model,” said Brown. “This visit comes at a critical time, as global supply chains shift and new opportunities emerge for Jamaica. We believe that with policy alignment, consistent supply, and public-private collaboration, Jamaica can retake its position as a global leader in ginger exports.”

Brown also noted the importance of developing disease- and climate-resilient crop varieties and highlighted Salada’s readiness to help unlock more value across the agro-processing chain.

With a workforce of over 130 and underutilised production capacity, Salada is now calling for stronger linkages between government, growers, and processors to meet rising international demand and secure long-term sustainability for Jamaican agriculture.