Agricultural Legislation to Be Amended

Under the legislative programme for 2024/2025, several key pieces of agricultural legislation will be amended, says Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen.

Delivering the 2024/2025 Throne Speech in Gordon House, today (February 15), the Governor-General informed that these will include replacement of the Animals (Diseases and Importation) Act with the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2024, replacement of the Plants (Quarantine) Act with the Plant Health Act 2024, and Amendments to The Praedial Larceny (Prevention) Act.

In addition, the Governor-General highlighted that the agriculture and fisheries sector achieved a sustained positive trajectory with eight consecutive quarters of growth up to the final quarter of the 2022 calendar year.

“In 2023, however, Jamaica experienced its hottest and driest year on record, and this inevitably posed severe challenges for the sector. The Government’s interventions in 2023 sought to mitigate losses, increase the resilience of the sector, and ensure the country’s food security,” he pointed out.

The Governor-General noted that the Government provided $1.13 billion to advance growth in the sector through the Production and Productivity Programme, which yielded production of 777,000 tonnes up to the end of December 2023.

This is the second highest level of domestic crop production in the country’s history.

Going forward, the Government will be placing specific focus on rehabilitation and expansion of orchard crop production of mango, breadfruit and ackee.

Other initiatives have included the prioritisation of the small ruminants development programme to boost the country’s self-sufficiency in meat production.

“GCT has been temporarily waived on live animal imports to further drive improvement of our local herd populations. Through the National Fisheries Authority, a dedicated aquaculture agro park is being targeted. The Government is investing $2.6 billion in key irrigation projects that are expected to result in over 2,433 hectares of additional irrigated lands for production,” the Governor-General outlined.

Regarding mining and quarrying, the sector recorded a 25 per cent increase in total equivalent of dry bauxite shipped (inclusive of alumina production) in 2023.

The exportation of high-purity limestone also increased by 77 per cent.