Working Paper Series: Special Edition of 2016 to 2018 Interns

Chart 1: ECCU growth performance

20

- 2,000.00 4,000.00 6,000.00 8,000.00 10,000.00 12,000.00 14,000.00 16,000.00 18,000.00

15

10

5

0

1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

-5

-10

gdp

growth rate

Source: Eastern Caribbean Central Bank

In light of the general declining contribution of the agriculture sector, on an ECCU level, the economies have shifted focus mainly to tourism and related services. 22 Chart 2 shows that since 1987 the tourism sector has surpassed the agriculture sector while the agriculture sector continues a downward trend. Moreover, comparing 1990-1999 to 2000-2009 shows that the agriculture sector’s contribution to GDP was 5.3 per cent compared to the tourism sector’s contribution of 8.9 per cent. For the 2000-2009 period, both ratios fell but the tourism sector still weights heavier (7.9 per cent) compared to the agriculture sector’s 3.1 per cent contribution to GDP.

22 Note while on an ECCU level tourism activity outgrows agriculture trading, economies such as Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ main export remains based in agriculture, see Chart 5 in appendix.

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