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The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries has advised that cocoa pods infected by the Frosty Pod Rot Disease must be removed from trees and properly discarded.

Cocoa Farmers Urged to be Vigilant in Dealing with Frosty Pod Rot Disease

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries is advising farmers affected by the Frosty Pod Rot disease to exercise vigilance when disposing of cocoa pods. Identifier and Entomologist at the Plant Quarantine Produce Inspection Branch, Karen Christie, told JIS...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, addresses members of the Seville Benevolent Society Production and Marketing Organization (PMO) at a meeting at the Fantasy Beach in Priory, St. Ann, on Friday (October 21).

Work to Start Next Year on Annotto Bay Agro-Economic Zone

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Agriculture, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (right), addresses members of the Seville Benevolent Society Production and Marketing Organization (PMO) in St. Ann on October 21. Listening keenly is the Agricultural Parish Manager for RADA, St. Ann, Melvin Aries.

Agriculture Records High Growth

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

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).

9 years ago Agriculture

Agriculture Ministry to Set Up School Garden at Beersheba Primary

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries will be providing support for the establishment of a proper school garden at the Beersheba Primary School in New Market, St. Elizabeth. Minister without Portfolio, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, who made the disclosure, said the project will ensure that students are exposed to agriculture from an early stage. “We are going to be...

9 years ago 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...

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.

9 years ago Agriculture

Pig Farmers Commended for Improvements in Industry

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, is commending the country’s pig farmers for the strides being made in the industry, which have seen the country gain self-sufficiency in the production of pork, while reducing imports of meat. He noted that the output of pork has grown by 22 per cent, moving from 6.3 million kilograms (kg)...

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.

9 years ago Agriculture

Agriculture Ministry to Spend $150 Million to Eradicate Cocoa Disease

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries will spend $150 million over the next three years to eradicate the frosty pod rot disease that is affecting the local cocoa industry. Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, says the disease, which was first detected in Clarendon, could result in crop losses of between 70 and 80...

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.

9 years ago 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...

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.

9 years ago 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...

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.

9 years ago 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...