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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke (centre), addresses the signing ceremony for an agreement between the All Island Jamaica Cane Farmers Association and Pan-Caribbean Sugar Company to authorise the sale of sugar and molasses, and establish a pricing regime. The ceremony was held on January 15 at the Ministry’s Hope Gardens offices. Also participating are: Chairman of the All Island Jamaica Cane Farmers’ Association, Allan Rickards (left) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pan-Caribbean, Dr. Huaixiang Wu.

Monymusk and Frome Sugar Factories to be Upgraded

Pan-Caribbean Limited, operators of the Monymusk and Frome sugar factories, has announced plans to pump some US$180 million to US$200 million into enhancing the plants, and upgrading equipment at the two facilities. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pan-Caribbean, Dr. Huaixiang...

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke (left), looks on as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pan-Caribbean, Dr. Huaixiang Wu, addresses the signing of an agreement between the All Island Jamaica Cane Farmers Association and Pan-Caribbean Sugar Company to authorise the sale of sugar and molasses, and establish a pricing regime. The ceremony was held on January 15 at the Ministry’s Hope Gardens offices.

Pan-Caribbean to Sell Sugar and Molasses on Behalf of Cane Farmers

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke (left), greets Director of Research for the all-natural bio-stimulant agricultural formulation, Vitazyme, Dr. Paul Syltie (centre), during a stakeholders seminar at the Agriculture Ministry’s Research Station at Bodles, Old Harbour, St. Catherine on Tuesday (January 14). Mr. Clarke was guest speaker at the sensitization forum which was held under the theme: ‘Improving Crop production, Increasing Productivity’. Looking on is Vitazyme’s Director for Latin America and Caribbean Operations, Dr. Juan Carlos Diaz.

Agriculture Ministry Looking at Bio-Stimulant to Boost Productivity

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke (right), converses with Chairman, National Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) John Junor, during a validation workshop on the results of the ‘2013 Socio-economic Survey and Carrying Capacity Study of the Northeast and Middle Cays, Pedro Banks’ held on Thursday, January 9, at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Over $28M Allocated to Improve Sanitation and Management of Pedro Cays

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke (right), is assisted by Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott (2nd right), to cut the ribbon to formally open the football field at the newly renovated Toll Gate community centre and sports complex in Clarendon on January 9. Renovation of the facility was financed at a cost of approximately $22 million with grant funding provided under the European Union’s (EU) Accompanying Measures for Sugar (AMS) Protocol. Sharing the occasion (from left) are: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry; Head of Infrastructure and Rural Development at the EU Mission in Jamaica, Thomas Opperer; and Chairman, Clarendon Parish Council, and May Pen’s Mayor, Councillor Scean Barnswell.

Refurbished Community Centre and Sports Complex Handed Over at Toll Gate

12 years ago Agriculture

House Committee Proposes Strengthening of Praedial Larceny Law

Persons found in possession of agricultural produce, for which they have no receipt or invoice, may face hefty fines if recommendations put forward by the Economy and Production Committee of Parliament for the strengthening the praedial larceny law are adopted. At a meeting at Gordon House on January 14, committee member, Daryl Vaz, noted that currently, the end user is...

12 years ago Agriculture

Government to Spend $3 Billion on Social Infrastructure Projects

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, says the Government is slated to spend an estimated $3 billion on major social infrastructure projects over the next three financial years. Included in these, is the resettlement of sugar industry workers currently residing in barracks on the estates to which they are attached. Speaking at the official opening ceremony for the newly...

12 years ago Agriculture

More Cane Roads to be Repaired

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, says the Government, through the Ministry, hopes to allocate another $600 million under the Cane Roads Rehabilitation Project, to repair more roads serving cane producing and dependent communities. This provision would serve to further boost rehabilitation work, currently being carried out at a cost of $404 million, on more than 44 kilometres of...

12 years ago Agriculture

Sugar Industry Still King In Agricultural Sector

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, is underscoring the importance of the sugar industry to Jamaica’s economy, particularly in the context of the administration’s efforts to restructure the country’s economy. Speaking at the official opening of the Toll Gate sports complex in Clarendon on Thursday (January 9), Mr. Clarke noted that the sector recorded an estimated US$109.7 million in...

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke (left), is greeted by Red Stripe Chairman, Richard Byles (right), when he arrived at the company’s Spanish Town Road head office in Kingston for the January 7 land lease agreement signing ceremony. The agreement, which Red Stripe negotiated with the Ministry’s agency, Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC), will facilitate the brewing company’s access to 36.2 acres of land at Bernard Lodge, St. Catherine, to undertake a pilot cassava production pilot project. This undertaking forms part of the company’s efforts to substitute imported barley, one of the inputs in the production of the globally-renowned Red Stripe beer, with cassava. Looking on is Red Stripe’s Managing Director, Cedric Blair.

12 years ago Agriculture

Big Boost for Cassava Production

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and brewing company, Red Stripe, have signed a lease agreement for land at Bernard Lodge, St. Catherine, to facilitate the multi-million dollar Project Grow cassava initiative, being undertaken by Red Stripe’s parent company, Diageo. Signed at Red Stripe’s Spanish Town Road head office in Kingston on January 7, the agreement will facilitate the provision...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke (right), addressing a press briefing at the Ministry, in St. Andrew, on Monday, January 6, where he outlined Government’s support for the farmers who are involved with the Plantain Garden River Agro Park, in St. Thomas. Seated beside the Minister is General Manager at the St. Thomas Cooperative Credit Union, Hopeton Morrison.

12 years ago Agriculture

Government Provides $7.5M to Assist Agro Park Farmers in St. Thomas

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, says the Government has pumped $7.5 million into a recovery effort to help farmers at the Plantain Garden River Agro Park, in St. Thomas, who have incurred losses in a recent onion crop. "We decided that we are going to get them back on their feet, and we injected $7.5 million to...

12 years ago Agriculture

Panama Disease Race 4 is No Immediate Threat to Jamaican Bananas

The Banana Board’s technical services units continue to be vigilant and resolute to prevent the entry of Panama Disease PDR4 caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f cubense and several viral diseases capable of equal devastation as the PDR4. Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) disease is the most virulent of the diseases caused by viruses. PDR4 and BBTV diseases affect...