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Director General in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Vivian Brown, delivers the Minister’s address at the Seprod Foundation Scholarship Awards Ceremony, held atTerra Nova All-Suite Hotel on October 20.
Director General in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Vivian Brown, delivers the Minister’s address at the Seprod Foundation Scholarship Awards Ceremony, held atTerra Nova All-Suite Hotel on October 20.

Gov’t Aims to Boost Milk Production

The Government is aiming to significantly boost local milk production from the current level of 13 million litres annually to 20 million litres by 2020, says Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda. In a speech delivered...
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Mrs. Audrey Sewell (right) and Acting Principal Director of Technical Services at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Marina Young, sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), yesterday (October 20), at the Ministry’s New Kingston offices, for a project geared at enabling farmers and other groups working in tourism to lessen the impacts of climate change, through a US$17-million Adaptation Fund.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Mrs. Audrey Sewell (right) and Acting Principal Director of Technical Services at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Marina Young, sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), yesterday (October 20), at the Ministry’s New Kingston offices, for a project geared at enabling farmers and other groups working in tourism to lessen the impacts of climate change, through a US$17-million Adaptation Fund.

Project Established to Enable Farmers to Deal with Impacts of Climate Change
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (right), speaks with Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang (left); and Chairman of the Rural Water Supply Company, Homer Davis. Occasion was the commissioning of a water, energy and sanitation project at the Beersheba Primary School in St. Elizabeth on Friday (October 14).
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (right), speaks with Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang (left); and Chairman of the Rural Water Supply Company, Homer Davis. Occasion was the commissioning of a water, energy and sanitation project at the Beersheba Primary School in St. Elizabeth on Friday (October 14).

Agriculture Ministry to Set Up School Garden at Beersheba Primary
Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Stephen Wedderburn (centre), shares a light moment with Jamaica Pig Farmers Association (JPFA) President, Hanif Brown (left), and Vice President of Marketing and Agricultural Supplies of the Hi-Pro Division of the Jamaica Broilers Group, Conley Salmon. Occasion was the JPFA’s 14th annual general meeting , held recently, at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville.
Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Stephen Wedderburn (centre), shares a light moment with Jamaica Pig Farmers Association (JPFA) President, Hanif Brown (left), and Vice President of Marketing and Agricultural Supplies of the Hi-Pro Division of the Jamaica Broilers Group, Conley Salmon. Occasion was the JPFA’s 14th annual general meeting , held recently, at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville.

Pig Farmers Commended for Improvements in Industry
Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda (right), addressing media briefing on September 29, at the Ministry’s offices in New Kingston. He gave an update on the Frosty Pod Rot disease, which is affecting local cocoa. At left is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Reginald Budhan.
Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda (right), addressing media briefing on September 29, at the Ministry’s offices in New Kingston. He gave an update on the Frosty Pod Rot disease, which is affecting local cocoa. At left is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Reginald Budhan.

Agriculture Ministry to Spend $150 Million to Eradicate Cocoa Disease

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Agriculture

Support For Irish Potato Farmers

The Government is providing some $1.1 billion to assist farmers under its Irish Potato Expansion Programme, to meet a target of 1,200 hectares of production. Support to boost the production of Irish potato will be in the form of a $48.3-million grant and more than $700 million of input, including extension services, says Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of...
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Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Reginald Budhan, addresses the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) Regional Agri-Value Chain Financing Forum, held at the Courtleigh Hotel & Suites on September 26.
Agriculture

Innovative Ways Must be Found to Attract Agricultural Investors – PS

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Reginald Budhan, says innovative ways need to be found to secure financing and attract investors in agriculture. He said the perception of serious lending risk and high cost of service delivery, among other limitations, are well-known barriers to the financing of smallholders (small family farms). “These barriers make it...
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Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, looks at equipment at the Sugar Industry Research Institute (SIRI) in Mandeville, which was donated by the European Union. Occasion was the opening of the Sugar Industry Authority’s (SIA) inaugural post-crop seminar at SIRI on September 21.
Agriculture

Standard to be Developed for Imported Sugar

The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) is to create a standard to effectively protect the local sugar industry from illegally imported sugar. This disclosure was made by Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, at the opening of a two-day Sugar Industry Authority (SIA) seminar and exposition in Mandeville on September 21. He said the measure is necessary...
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Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (second left), listens to Lab Supervisor, Althea Lawson (second right), as she explains the functions of the equipment donated by the European Union (EU), at the Sugar Industry Authority (SIA) inaugural post-crop seminar, at the Sugar Industry Research Institute (SIRI) in Mandeville, on September 21. Looking on (from left) are Head of Cooperation of the EU, Achim Shaffert, and Acting Director of Research at SIRI, Dr. Maureen Wilson.
Agriculture

Discussions in Progress for Divestment of Sugar Factories

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, has indicated that ongoing discussions are being held with investors showing interest in the acquisition of certain sugar estates. Speaking at the Sugar Industry Authority (SIA) inaugural post-crop seminar in Mandeville, on September 21, Mr. Samuda said he is hoping to close a deal with prospective buyers interested in the Long...
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AgricultureParliament

House Passes Bill to Set Up Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority

A Bill to establish the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) was passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 20. The Authority will merge and replace the existing Coffee Industry Board, Cocoa Industry Board, the regulatory functions of the Coconut Industry Board and the Export Division of the Ministry. Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl...
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Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (right), listens as Technical Representative for Canadian entity Lambert Peat Moss Inc., Ramon Alvarado (left), provides details on a bag of plant seeds produced by the company, which was on display during a stakeholder seminar at Caymanas Golf and Country Club in St. Catherine on Tuesday, September 20. The seminar was jointly staged by Lambert Peat and Jamaica Floral Products Limited/Evergrow Garden Centre under the theme ‘High Quality Growing Media at the Root of High Quality Seedling Growth and Crop Production’. Also listening (from 2nd left) are Lambert Peat’s International Sales Manager, Richard De Quesada; and Jamaica Floral Products Limited/Evergrow Garden Centre General Manager, Burrell Scarlett.
Agriculture

Agriculture Minister wants more Youth Involved in Sector

The Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, continues to push for more young people to get involved in the agriculture sector. “We have to get (more) young people working to ensure that we grow the crops we need in sufficient quantities and to also enable us to export. Let’s have an explosion of youthful participation so...
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Minister without Portfolio in the Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (left), in discussion with Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica, His Excellency Sylvain Fabi, on the final of a two-day Climate-Smart Agriculture symposium, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, on September 14.
Agriculture

Hutchinson to Advocate Removal of GCT on Imported Farm Supplies

Minister without Portfolio in the Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, says he will be advocating for the removal of general consumption tax (GCT) on imported farm supplies. Mr. Hutchinson noted that these items, which contribute to the development of the local agricultural industry and help to increase farmers’ production, should not attract GCT. “The farmer will...
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