Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Peter Thompson, says come September, the agency will be rolling out a programme geared at getting more households into farming. “We’re on that drive now to assist householders that have adequate land space in their backyards. We will be providing kits, which will include packages of seeds, fertilisers and...

Hardware & Lumber (H&L) Agro has donated $2 million in agricultural inputs to assist small farmers who have been impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The inputs, which include fertilisers, pesticides and seeds, were handed over to Minister of Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, on May 21, at the H&L outlet located along Spanish Town Road, Kingston. The...

Farmer from East Kirkland Heights, St. Andrew, Glenroy Crossman, had brought a carload of mainly fruits and vegetables to Friday’s (June 3) farmers’ market held at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries ’ Hope Gardens playfield. Included were lettuce, cantaloupe, water melon, pineapple, scallion, and pak choi. Mr. Crossman was one of several farmers assembled for the market...

More than 400 acres of former sugar cane lands in St. Thomas will be made available to small farmers in the parish for the growing of cash crops. “We are looking to move certain lands from sugar cane into crash crops. The small farmers…who are ensuring food security and keeping the economy going, are the ones who will benefit,” said...

State Minister for Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Floyd Green, says the Government is committed to supporting farmers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and safeguard the country’s food security. He noted that among the initiatives implemented was a $240 million stimulus package to purchase excess fruits and vegetables from those farmers, who lost their markets, largely due to the...

The Government is to make more idle State-owned lands available for cultivation by small farmers. This was disclosed by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, who noted that the Administration is in dialogue with various organisations in order to facilitate this undertaking. The Minister, who was making his contribution to the...

The cadre of technical staff at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is expected to be increased by more than 100 per cent, with the proposed restructuring of the agency. This was announced by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, who said the new structure will see RADA’s technical staff moving...