Regional Private Sector Development Programme

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) implemented the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Private Sector Development Programme (RPSDP), which began in 2017 and ended in 2023.

The overall objective of the programme was to increase employment creation, inclusiveness – particularly for youth, women and indigenous groups and reduce overall poverty in CARIFORUM States. Through targeted interventions, the Agency sought to achieve three specific objectives in support of the overall goal:

  1. To build private sector capacity at the firm level to increase export competitiveness;
  2. To strengthen business support organizations (BSOs) capacity to provide greater support to the private sector; and
  3. To strengthen regional mechanisms aimed at promoting effective public-private dialogue (PPD) to develop a more effective business enabling environment.
Implementation of the 11th EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme

CARIFORUM Country Impact Reports 2017-2022

The CARIFORUM country briefs provide information on Caribbean Export’s support to private sector development in each country under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Private Sector Development Programme (RPSDP) during 2017 -2022.

Testimonials

A DAGS beneficiary, the Caribbean Paper Company has expanded its business operations and is now trading in 14 countries.
The Agency’s support has positively impacted DAGS beneficiary Ruth’s Place and helped the firm to weather the storm during COVID-19.
In 2020 DAGS recipient Tenderoni Foods Inc. grew by 25%, and the Executive Chairman directly attributes this growth to the DAGS.
Lamblion Holiday Apartments, a subsidiary of DAGS recipient Lambion Group Co., used the funding to implement green practices and become Green Globe Certified.

Case Studies

As a DAGS 2018 recipient, Young Island Resort increased revenue and sales (including export sales) by 16%. Learn more about the impact of the grant funding.

Download “Case Study – Young Island Resorts” 2.08 MB

Cummings Wood Products has seen increased yield from raw materials by 20% after implementation of the Direct Assistance Grant Scheme (DAGS). Download the case study to see how the DAGS impacted the company’s operations.

Download “Cummings Wood Products” 1.69 MB

Coffee Solutions Limited saw a 15% increase in export sales and a 10% increase in revenue after the implementation of the DAGS. Download to learn more.

Download “Case Study – Coffee Solutions Limited” 2.97 MB

The Direct Assistance Grant Scheme (DAGS) has been instrumental in helping to equip Dawson Trading Company Limited with the provisions needed to propel it into its next stage of growth. Learn more here.

Download “Dawson Trading” 1.55 MB

Fiberpol Inc. productive capacity and efficiency was enhanced by 15% because of the Direct Assistance Grant Scheme (DAGS). Learn more here.

Download “Fiberpol Inc” 1.46 MB

Export with the EPA

The CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is a reciprocal trade agreement that supports trade and investment. There are a suite of resource to assist in understanding the features and benefits of this agreement.







When you are starting to export your products you’ll need to know the HS code for your products to enable customs to classify them correctly. The following video explains how to find your HS Code.


There’s a few sites where you can find your HS Code.

EU Trade Helpdesk https://trade.ec.europa.eu/tradehelp/

World Customs Organisation http://www.wcoomd.org/en/topics/nomen…

Find HS Codes https://www.findhs.codes/

Your True Shade Cosmetics – Fusing Science And Nature

The global cosmetics industry generates billions of dollars each year and Jamaican Dianne Plummer, owner of Your True Shade, a healthy cosmetic line manufactured in her homeland, is hoping to get a slice of that market.

The first Caribbean cosmetics beauty line to be certified by Cruelty Free International in the United Kingdom; Your True Shade is recognised as a green skin care and clean cosmetics brand. Your True Shade was created out of necessity by Dianne while studying sustainable energy and chemical engineering in Sweden and Finland. During that period, she found it difficult to find makeup that offered ideal coverage without irritating her sensitive skin and causing eczema flare ups.

Using her engineering background, Dianne hand-picked natural ingredients to formulate her own skincare and make-up line. As a result, Your True Shade Cosmetics Limited was born. The line has the distinction of being free from harmful chemicals commonly used in some skin care products. And remarkably, it celebrates the diversity of skin tones found in the Caribbean and beyond.

Though her company is only four years old, Dianne is determined to be a trailblazer in natural skin care in the Caribbean and focuses heavily on innovation, research and development. I’m always trying to make everything better, change formulations and tweak things as we go forward, because innovation has to be at the core of the business, she said.

She added that the old way of doing things was not a sustainable business model, but that a revolution was needed. In her opinion, what separates the outstanding entrepreneur from the average Jane or Joe is the ability to bring something new, never before seen or done, to the market. “In an already saturated market, like skincare, one must figure out how to do it differently and be innovative, Dianne stressed.

She does this by fusing technology, science and nature to deliver a safe, efficacious product, thereby successfully changing the narrative surrounding beauty by making it synonymous with health.

Your True Shade cosmetics is known for its ability to conceal and minimise imperfections, as well as promote healing and repair through the locally-sourced, natural, anti-inflammatory and hydrating herbs, spices and plant extracts used to formulate the line. In essence, it’s makeup with skincare benefits.

Your True Shade will be at the 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum being organized by the Caribbean Export Development Agency at the Union Halle in Frankfurt, Germany from September 26 to 28. Together the over 60 Caribbean suppliers, the event organized in collaboration with the European Union and Deutsche Gesellschaft Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) aims to improve trade between the Caribbean and Europe.

Find out more about True Shade Cosmetics: www.yourtrueshade.com and join their community on Facebook @trueshadecosmetics and Instagram @yourtrueshade.

Natural Skin, Body and Health

The demand for natural medicine in Europe has grown at a tremendous rate as Europeans becoming more and more conscious about their health and the quality of the goods they consume.

In 2017, the global nutraceuticals product market reached US$204 billion. With an abundance of medicinal plants, the Caribbean is ripe with natural remedies to supply the increase in demand for natural ingredients.

A common experience for many people living in the Caribbean and visitors is the irritating mosquito bite. It’s an unwanted experience of millions all over the world and with this desire to use natural remedies drove medical doctors Gayle Devaux-Segovia and Carlos Segovia to develop natural repellent prior to the birth of their first child. They wanted to make a natural insect repellent safe enough to use on a baby.

“When our son was born, we used the insect repellent on him and it worked very well. We got a lot of encouragement from people so in 1997 we formed a company called Natmed Ltd. We branded the product under Caribbean Blue Naturals and twenty years later, it is still one of our best sellers,” Dr. Gayle Devaux-Segovia explained.

Over the years, Dr. Gayle and her husband added more products to Caribbean Blue Naturals: deodorant, body spray, hand sanitizers and sun screen to list a few. They are all natural, cruelty-free, reef-safe, non-GMO, 100% biodegradable and mostly vegan as they use beeswax in their lip balm and candles.

Dr. Carlos Segovia said they source the majority of their ingredients locally. According to him, these ingredients included Saint Lucia cocoa, aloe vera, seaweed extract, nutmeg and other Caribbean spices. Our mission is to produce all natural products of the highest quality and make them affordable to the general public, he noted.

The Saint Lucian company will showcase its wide range of natural products at the 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum organized by the Caribbean Export Development Agency in collaboration with the European Union and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ).
Along with over 60 other Caribbean companies, the Business Forum enables buyers and consumers to meet suppliers and source products from the Caribbean over 3 days from 26th to the 28th September 2019 at the Union Halle, Frankfurt, Germany.