Book Description

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) continue to serve as a major source of employment and income generation in the agriculture and tourism sectors in countries of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM). [Author] Most MSMEs are small businesses run by families or by a few individuals. [Author] While this helps to keep labour and overhead costs to a minimum, it creates a suboptimum economy of scale. [Author] Competition is also increased because of the large number of small operations and challenges that hinder penetration of the export market, especially with the increasing complexities of international standards demanded by developed countries. [Author] Additionally, rising standards of living in many CARICOM countries have increased demand from domestic consumers for higher quality food and assurances of food safety. [Author] This creates the need for urgent measures that will help MSMEs in CARICOM to become more efficient in crop production, supply chain management, food processing and packaging techniques and to gain a better understanding of the changing nature of the domestic, regional and international markets. [Author] This technical manual focuses on food packaging and seeks to highlight its critical role in reducing food loss and waste. [Author] Users of this manual will also be exposed to packaging techniques that help improve the marketability of agricultural commodities produced and processed in the region. [Author] This potential has been fostered by an increasing middle-class population, a vibrant market for tourism, a diversity of cultures and, thanks to an increasing diaspora, increasing markets in importing countries. [Author]