Agricultural Sector Reaping Benefits of Economic Reform

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, says measures being undertaken by the Government to position the agricultural sector to maximise the benefits of the economic reforms underway are bearing fruit.

“We are now much more competitive as a country…we are importing about $5 billion less of foodstuffs than we were before; we are replacing imported product with local production in things like beer; we are supplying our hotels more from local production,” he said.

The Minister was speaking yesterday (November 18) following a tour of Jamaica Broilers Group facilities in St. Catherine.

These are the Hi-Pro Ace Farm and Garden Supercentre in White Marl; and the Best Dressed Chicken Further Processing Plant in Spring Village.

Dr. Phillips praised Jamaica Broilers for the role it has played in helping to facilitate the expansion of the agricultural sector, particularly through the increased export of local produce.

“Jamaica Broilers is exporting products to other countries. Jamaica’s farmers’ produce (are) being exported to other parts of the Caribbean. All of this is a good story, which is gathering momentum because of the macroeconomic reforms, because of the national Economic Reform Programme,” he said.

The Minister said the operations of this agro-business company demonstrates that agriculture is more than just the farmer toiling away in his field, but involves many other value-added processes.

“Agriculture is the person at the animals feed plant; agriculture is the person at the loading dock at the ports that are moving out their exports; agriculture are people in the processing plant; agriculture are people who are going to be doing the juices, processing the juices and the raw materials,” the Minister pointed out.

He further lauded the company on the high quality of its operations which, he said is “world class.”

“I have seen the quality of the Jamaican management system that you have here. I’ve seen the quality of the workers and their attention to detail and their efficiencies. This company’s efficiencies are at an international standard, and that shows what can be done by Jamaica as a whole and by, indeed, every efficiently and well-run company in Jamaica,” he said.

Jamaica Broilers Group of Companies started in 1958 as Jamaica’s pioneer producer of broiler meat on a commercial basis. Today, it has a fully integrated poultry operation and has diversified into feed milling, cattle rearing, beef production and fish farming, along with the development and marketing of value-added products for both local consumption and export.

The company has also developed affiliated services that support various agricultural operations. These include veterinary and nutritional services, the wholesale and retail of a full range of farm products and the pre-mixing of feed ingredients and concentrate.

In addition to its local divisions, the company also has international subsidiaries.