Agriculture Minister Reporting Improved Outcomes from Efforts to Combat Praedial Larceny

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, is reporting improvements in the response to praedial larceny since the start of the year.

In a statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 22), Mr. Green said the Praedial Larceny Prevention Unit in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has been actively working to reduce agricultural produce crimes.

“This is a precursor to where we are going in the near future. The plan with the JCF is to build out an Agricultural Protection Division as a part of the JCF structure, and I commend Sergeant Steven Paul and Constable Pellington, who are already doing work in that regard and who have been working with various police divisions which have high incidence of agricultural crime,” Mr. Green said.

Up to September 30, a total of 79 praedial larceny arrests were made, compared to 78 in 2023. Mr. Green advised that there are 137 cases before the courts.

“In the entire year, last year, we did 138 cases, so we are already trending ahead. Last year, we had 15 convictions… [and] already we have six convictions thus far [this year],” he said.

Mr. Green also shared that 149 farm-watch programmes have been administered, 3,481 police raids conducted, and 2,279 sensitisation sessions held, so far, this year, compared to 1,763 sessions in 2023.

He further informed that police praedial larceny-focused patrols are ongoing, with the number executed, to date, totalling 11,488.

“In addition to crops and livestock, our praedial larceny-prevention programme also places significant focus on the fisheries sector. To date, 5,719 fishing beach operations have been conducted, which is, again, more than was done last year when we conducted 4,863 conducted,” the Minister indicated.

Additionally, Mr. Green said the size of the Praedial Larceny Unit at the Ministry has been doubled, adding that the team has been provided with a new Toyota Hilux motor vehicle to ensure increased mobility.