Postal department saw increased revenue in 2021

Jamaica's Post and Telecommunications Department reported a 20.5 percent increase in revenue last year, with Zip Mail being one of the major drivers. 

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the local next business day courier service, which is offered at 73 Jamaica Post locations islandwide, has been steadily growing in popularity.

The service offers four modalities - Post to Post with some 104 post offices accepting deliveries, Post to Door, Door to Post and Door to Door.

For packages weighing 10 pounds or less, the rates are between $500 and $1,000. 

The department raked in $986 million in revenue in 2021, while its expenditure increased by 2.6 percent to $2.52 billion. 

This resulted in a deficit of $1.533 billion compared with the $1.636 billion recorded in 2020.

The Economic and Social Survey Jamaica 2021 reported that Jamaica Post handled approximately 25.1 million pieces of mail compared with 28.4 million pieces in 2020. 

The reduction in the volume of mail handled was as a result of a decline in two of the three categories – letters by 11.4 per cent to 24.8 million pieces and parcels by 38.5 percent to 115,000 pieces. 

“This outweighed the upturn in the category other, which expanded by 37.7 percent to 179,000 pieces. Within this category, the main driver of the increase was Zip Mail, which grew to 151,000 pieces from 97,000. The overall out-turn was affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” a section of the report read. 

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), which publishes the report annually, noted that the planned activities aimed at reforming and modernising the postal sector continued with the implementation of the customs declaration system and made progress towards the full International Postal System.

In addition, the department continued its expansion efforts by increasing its offering to other post offices the following services - Klick 'N' Ship Express, packaging supplies, Bill Express, Zip Mail and Fast Track. 

Desktop computers were also provided to 80 branch managers or postmasters at all parish capitals and major towns to support the automation initiative being implemented by the department. 

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