I am writing to draw the attention of policymakers, investors, and the broader public to a remarkable economic opportunity that, remarkably, received zero mention in the recent National Budget. I refer to the potential for Trinidad and Tobago to become the Caribbean’s premier hub for high-value hemp and cannabis processing.
As outlined in our recent analysis, “Trinidad & Tobago Hemp 2026: From natural advantage to regional leadership,” the nation possesses a unique and powerful trifecta of assets that position us to leapfrog regional competitors. Instead of emulating the failed models of raw agricultural export, our path to success lies in high-tech biotech manufacturing.
Our competitive advantage is clear:
• An unmatched energy arbitrage: Our industrial electricity cost (~3 cents USD per kWh) is approximately nine times cheaper than the regional average. In the energy-intensive world of extraction and refining, this is not just an advantage; it is a structural moat that fundamentally changes the economics of production.
• An established legal framework: The Cannabis Control Act, 2022, provides the regulatory backbone for pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing required by lucrative international markets such as the EU and the US.
• Preferential trade access: The Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) provides duty-free access to the US market for products that have undergone “substantial transformation” here, giving our exports a direct tariff edge.
This is a legitimate, highly regulated, and bankable industry. We are talking about the production of high-value CBD isolates, water-soluble powders and nutraceuticals—exports that could generate between US$800 million and US$1.5 billion annually by 2030, creating over 10,000 high-skilled jobs in the process. This is the kind of diversified, foreign-exchange-generating engine that our economy desperately needs.
The absence of the sector in national planning is a missed opportunity. However, this also creates a clear window for private capital and public-private partnerships to lead. This is not a call for speculative “grey-market” ventures; it is a call for a strategic, nationally-owned industrial plan built on our energy advantage, our human capital, and our existing resources. The government must provide policy certainty and streamline pathways to investment to ensure we do not lose this chance to be the first mover.
The window to secure regional leadership is open, but it will not remain so forever. It is time for T&T to turn its energy advantage into an engine of sovereign and sustainable prosperity.
