Agriculture Minister Pledges Commitment to Sector

Agriculture Minister, Roger Clarke, has given the Ministry’s commitment to continue to work with the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) and the country’s farmers, to “lift agriculture to a higher level”.
Minister Clarke, who was speaking at the opening ceremony for the 51st staging of the Hague Agricultural Show in Trelawny on March 1, said that the way forward would include the use of technology to increase the level of production.
“Food safety is going to be of utmost importance as we enter the global market place,” he said, adding that the use of pesticides and other chemicals would have to be closely monitored “as the residue from such, if found on products for export, would jeopardize the market”.
Encouraging farmers to get involved in organic farming practices, Mr. Clarke informed that the Ministry had allocated some $20 million to that programme.
He pointed out further, that new and improved genetic material had been introduced in pig production and that the quality of sheep production would soon be increased, with 50 sheep imported to meet desired expectations.
Noting the contribution of Trelawny’s farmers to the agriculture sector, Minister Clarke said, “Trelawny continues to be a major contributor to domestic agricultural production and has maintained a position as a parish that is intent on producing to feed the nation.”
“I am proud to note that Trelawny is leading the way in terms of goat production. The quality animals that are being produced here is an example to the rest of Jamaica,” he stated.
The Hague Agricultural Show 2006 was held under the theme, ‘Promoting Production for a Healthy, Wealthy Lifestyle’.