KINGSTON, Jamaica: Jamaica is aggressively seeking a buyer for its debt-swamped sugar company after the global financial crisis forced a Brazilian company to drop out of a multimillion-dollar deal for the plantations, a top official said Tuesday.

Agriculture Minister Christopher Tufton told reporters that the government has renewed bidding for its sugar estates and that 14 companies were "showing interest." He did not identify the bidders, but said most were international companies.

"We plan to engage each potential investor and hope to move as quickly as possible to get a buyer," said Tufton, adding there was no firm deadline to sell off the state-owned industry.