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Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Honourable Karl Samuda, addresses patrons at the 63rd Hague Agricultural and Industrial Show in Trelawny on Wednesday, February 14.

Gov’t Commits $70 Million to Help Trelawny Farmers Transport Sugar Cane

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, says the Government has committed another $70 million to assist farmers in Trelawny with the transportation of sugar cane to the Appleton Estate and Worthy Park factories this year. Speaking...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, the Hon. Karl Samuda (left), converses with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representative for Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize, Dr. Gillian Smith, at the launch of the 35th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Ministry’s New Kingston office on Tuesday (February 13).

Jamaica to Host FAO Regional Conference March 5 to 8

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (right), converses with Devon Plunkett Sr. (left), a farmer of Albion Mountain, St. Mary, during a tour of his farm on Wednesday (February 8). At centre is Member of Parliament for Central St. Mary, where Albion Mountain is located, Dr. Morais Guy.

Major Investors to Cultivate Onions

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (right), is briefed on the functions of equipment used at the farm of Vijay Smith in Chovey, St. Mary, by Farm Manager, Anthony Marshall (second left), during a tour of the property on Wednesday (February 7). Others (from left) are Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) St. Mary Parish Manager, Jasmine Hyde, and Member of Parliament for South East St. Mary, where Chovey is located, Dr. Norman Dunn.

Minister to Seek Additional Funding to Repair Farm Roads

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (left), listens to banana and plantain farmer from Caenwood in Portland, Winsome Crossdale, during a tour of her farm on February 1, which was ravaged by recent heavy rains.

Gov’t Provides $55 Million for Portland Farmers; Moves to Protect Lands

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda (second left), hands over the accreditation certificate for the Veterinary Services Diagnostic Laboratory (VSDL) to Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Osbil Watson (third left) during a ceremony at VSDL’s offices on Old Hope Road in St. Andrew on January 31.Others (from left) are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Donovan Stanberry; Chief Executive Officer, Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), Sharonmae Shirley; Chairman, JANAAC, Simon Roberts; and Quality Manager, VSDL, Tricia Fraser.

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Veterinary Services Diagnostic Lab Accredited for Testing of Fish

The Veterinary Services Diagnostic Laboratory (VSDL) in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, has been accredited to carry out tests on fish for the export market. The certification, from the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), is for conducting two tests for heavy metals in the biological tissues of fish and amnesic shellfish toxins in fishery products. Portfolio...

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry, addresses a workshop on the Updated Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) and Entrepreneurship Policy at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on Thursday (January 25).

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Updated MSME and Entrepreneurship Policy Presented to Stakeholders

Stakeholders in the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector got an opportunity to review the Updated MSME and Entrepreneurship Policy and offer their suggestions, comments and recommendations before it returns to Cabinet. This was at a workshop hosted by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on Thursday (January 25)....

Director General of the Public Sector Transformation and Modernisation (PSTM) Division, Office of the Cabinet, Veniece Pottinger-Scott.

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Ministries to Complete Service Improvement Plans by April

All Ministries are required to complete their customer service improvement plans by April 2018. The plans, for which preparation is under way, are aimed at ensuring efficient and high-quality service delivery across Government. Director General of the Public Sector Transformation and Modernisation (PSTM) Division, Office of the Cabinet, Veniece Pottinger-Scott, told JIS News that the Ministries of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, takes a picture of the Bakers Common to Halifax farm road in Manchester, during his tour of the roads on January 24.

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Farm Roads in Manchester and St. Elizabeth to Be Repaired

Almost 19 kilometres of farm roads are to be repaired in Manchester and St. Elizabeth between now and March 26 this year, at a cost of $81 million. This was noted by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, after he toured some of the roads on Wednesday, January 24. “The Ministry...

(FILE) The Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, the Honourable Karl Samuda

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Government Embarks on Programme to Expand Irrigation

The Government has embarked on a programme to expand irrigation on a number of farmlands located at the southern part of the country. “The efforts of this Government to expand irrigation is not only admirable, but critical. We are starting with Essex Valley, and there are also initiatives afoot to significantly improve irrigation in Southern St. Catherine and Clarendon, which...

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, takes a bite from strawberry cultivated by farmers from East Rural St. Andrew, given to them by Member of Parliament for the Area, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, at the launch of the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston on January 23. Mrs. Holness displays the 2017 Report on The Development of the Berry Industry in Jamaica, which was presented to her by Minister Bartlett.

8 years ago AgricultureIndustry

Coffee Farmers Looking to Boost Demand

Member of Parliament for East Rural St. Andrew, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, says coffee farmers in the area are looking at various options to expand the industry. She noted that there is understanding among the farmers that “beans alone will not cut it and they have to explore various options for the product”. “We would like to expand the...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda. (FILE)

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Assistance for Farmers in Portland, St. Mary and Trelawny

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries is to provide $100 million in support to farmers affected by the recent heavy rains in Portland, St. Mary and Trelawny. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, has explained that these three parishes experienced extreme flooding, not only causing agricultural damage of over $343 million but also significant infrastructure damage, such as farm...