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Deputy Research Director of the Crop and Plant Protection Unit, Research Development Division in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Michelle Sherwood, addresses JIS ‘Think Tank’ on May 12, about the Beet Army Worm and its impact on farmers.

Farmers Urged To Be Careful When Buying Plants

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is urging farmers to be careful when purchasing plants, to avoid the Beet Army Worm (BAW). Speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on May 12, Deputy Research Director of the Crop and Plant Protection...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon J.C. Hutchinson (left), in discussion with former Mayor of Morant Bay, Councillor Ludlow Mathison, at the launch of a Production and Marketing Organisation (PMO) parish group for St. Thomas, held at the Village Green Restaurant, in Morant Bay, on May 10.

Agricultural Aides to Assist with Registration of Farmers

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (centre, seated), and Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation in Jamaica, Her Excellency Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska (right, seated), sign the EU Sugar Technical Assistance Consultancy Programme agreement at the Ministry’s New Kingston offices on May 10. At left is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Donovan Stanberry. In the back row (from left) are United Kingdom Deputy High Commissioner to Jamaica, His Excellency Nicholas Astbury; Sugar Transformation Unit Project Manager, Keleen Young-Grandison; Agricultural Attaché, EU Delegation in Jamaica, Stefano Cillí; Technical Assistance Programme Consultants, Gordon Allert and Andreas Bockermann; and Spanish Ambassador-designate to Jamaica, His Excellency Josep María Bosch Bessa.

Sugar Industry to Benefit From EU-Funded Technical Assistance

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

Effective Management Can Make Sugar Industry Viable – Samuda

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda addresses coconut growers in attendance at the Coconut Growers’ Annual General Meeting, held at the Jamaica Conference Centre on Saturday, May 06, 2017.

Commodity Boards to be Dissolved – Samuda

9 years ago Agriculture

Strategies Being Implemented to Tackle Praedial Larceny

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, says several strategies are being implemented to prevent and reduce praedial larceny. “These include strengthening the legislative and policy framework, as well as collaborating with other entities, especially our partners in the criminal justice system, to implement special programmes,” Mr. Samuda said. The Minister was making his contribution to the 2017/18...

9 years ago Agriculture

Coconut Imports Cess for Industry Development – Minister Samuda

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, says the revenue generated from the cess imposed on imported coconut products will be used to develop the sector. According to the website of the Coconut Industry Board (CIB), which falls under the Ministry, a cess of eight cents per pound is levied on coconut products and some substitutes. Speaking at...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda (2nd left) signs a contract for the lease of 247 hectares of lands in St. Catherine to Red Stripe for the mass production of cassava to be used in the company’s beverages. The signing took place Friday (May 5) at the Ministry’s New Kingston offices. Other signatories are Managing Director of Red Stripe, Ricardo Nuncio (left) and Chairman of the Board of Directors of SCJ Holdings Limited (SCJH), Wentworth Charles. Looking on (from left) are Chief Executive Officer of SCJH, John Gayle; Project Manager for Local Raw Material Business Development, Red Stripe, Dr. Cavell Francis-Rhiney; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Donovan Stanberry; Legal Officer, SCJH, Debbie-Ann Scott; and Chief Executive Officer, Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Peter Thompson

9 years ago AgricultureDevelopment

Gov’t Leases Land to Red Stripe for Cassava Cultivation

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries has signed a 25-year agreement with brewery giant Red Stripe for the lease of 247 hectares of land for the mass production of cassava to be used in the company’s beverages. This is in addition to the Government’s provision of an initial 156.5 hectares of land for the period 2014 to 2016...

Superintendent of the Public Gardens Division (PGD) in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Demoy Nash (right), speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on May 3 about the Earth Day Expo scheduled for May 5 at the Castleton Botanical Gardens, in St. Mary. At left is Botanist and Education Officer in the Division, Judeen Meikle.

9 years ago AgricultureJIS Think Tank

Earth Day Expo at Castleton Gardens on May 5

The Public Gardens Division in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries will be hosting an Earth Day Expo on May 5 at the Castleton Botanical Gardens, in St. Mary. It will be staged under the World Earth Day theme ‘Environmental and Climate Change Literacy’. Speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on May 3, Superintendent of the Division, Demoy...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (left), is shown the damage done to his scallion farm by the beet armyworm, by Ralden Bellanfante, when the Minister stopped at his farm in the Duff House/New Forest Agro Park in Manchester, on May 1.

9 years ago Agriculture

Ministry to Assist Farmers Affected by Beet Armyworm

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries is assessing the impact of the beet armyworm on farmers in the Duff House/New Forest Agro Park and surrounding areas of Manchester. This is being done so that a decision can be taken as to how best to assist the farmers who have lost some 150 acres of scallion, tomato, cucumber, callaloo,...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (right), speaks with farmers attached to the Thompson Town Achievers Benevolent Society in Clarendon, at the Thompson Town Community Centre in the parish on April 28.

9 years ago Agriculture

Gov’t to Roll Out Strawberry Production Programme

The Government will roll out a strawberry programme over the next two months in order to meet the demands of the tourism sector. Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, said that following a successful pilot project in St. Andrew, the full programme can now be implemented. “Jamaica must provide all the...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, delivers address at the Jamaica 4-H Clubs National Achievement Expo, held on April 28 at the Denbigh Showground in Clarendon. The event was held under the theme ‘Agri-preneurship: the Gateway to Sustainable Development’.

9 years ago AgricultureCommerce

Young People Should Lead Campaign for Healthy Diets – Hutchinson

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, says young people should lead a campaign for healthy diets. The Minister said with Jamaica recording 12,773 deaths in 2014 due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and the economy to lose up to US$17.2 billion in output over the next 15 years, there is an urgent...