ESSJ 2025 Shows Modest Growth as Tourism and Agriculture Lead Recovery

The Economic and Social Survey Jamaica (ESSJ) for 2025 was laid before Parliament on Tuesday, giving a broad picture of how the country fared across major sectors.

Visitor numbers climbed past levels seen before the pandemic, helping to lift foreign exchange inflows. Farming also picked up, with domestic crop output stronger than in recent periods. The building sector grew as well, supported by housing works and infrastructure development.

Even so, the survey highlights ongoing headwinds. Factory production remained slow, import bills rose, and climate-related risks still dampened the pace of expansion. The jobless rate fell slightly on the whole, though finding work for young people is still a worry.

On the social front, the ESSJ records progress in literacy and wider access to healthcare. Violent crime and inequality, however, remain serious threats to stability.

The document calls for economic plans that can withstand shocks, better readiness for disasters, and measures to raise productivity and strengthen social safety nets as the country enters another hurricane season.

Members of Parliament are likely to take up the findings in the weeks ahead, with the ESSJ set to inform domestic policy choices and discussions with international partners.