Agriculture Minister Says Red Stripe’s Cassava Project is Expanding Sector

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Derrick Kellier, says Red Stripe’s decision to add cassava in its brewing process is expanding the agricultural sector, and providing increased income to farmers.

The Minister, who was addressing the opening of Red Stripe’s Wallen Cassava Farm, in Linstead, St. Catherine, today (December 7), said the entire Ministry is pleased with the “progress of this project.”

Under the initiative called, Project Grow, Red Stripe’s goal is to produce beer with 20 per cent locally grown cassava. The Wallen Farm represents some 12.5 per cent of the company’s cassava production. So far, they have committed some US$3 million to the project.

“Project Grow is of special significance to us at the Ministry, as it demonstrates what can be achieved through public-private collaboration, and is an example of how we can successfully implement economic projects. It also reinforces our belief that opportunities do abound in the agricultural sector,” Minister Kellier said.

He noted that the company is a great partner in the vision to increase local production by utilising local ingredients and providing training, employment and economic opportunities to young people and farmers.

“Today’s expansion marks another important step in your thrust to increase the use of local ingredients in the brewing of beer. It exemplifies your support of our ‘Eat Jamaican’ campaign, as we seek to expand agricultural production to ensure food security and food safety for all Jamaicans,” the Minister said.

The company, through its Learning for Life Programme, has recruited some 35 persons from the surrounding communities, and provided them with training and employment on the farm.

In 2014, Red Stripe launched the project with lands in Bernard Lodge,

St. Catherine, which it leased from the Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC).

Meanwhile, newly appointed Managing Director of the company, Ricardo Nucio, told the gathering that they will be accelerating the project, so as to brew the product with 40 per cent local ingredients before the year 2020.

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) has been providing technical support to the project.