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Government’s efforts to attain self-sufficiency in meat consumption have been boosted, through a $69.5 million allocation to the Diversification of the Caribbean Livestock through the Production of Small Ruminants project. This is contained in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project, being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, aims to increase the...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will spend $58.7 million this fiscal year, on initiatives to combat poverty and improve revenues in banana dependent areas. This will be done under the Banana Accompanying Measures project, by improving the productivity and reliance of small farmers, and strengthening the link between these farmers and markets. The funds have been earmarked in the...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, will spend $210 million this financial year to increase competitiveness in the agricultural sector, by facilitating access to international markets for small and medium sized farmers. The initiative also seeks to ensure the production of safe and good quality agricultural products and food; and stimulate public-private investment in the development of agribusinesses. Under the...

The Sugar Transformation Unit is to receive $2.1 billion, as the Government sustains its thrust to develop a sustainable private sector-led cane industry by 2015.               Another $96 million will be used to repair sugar cane roads at Appleton, Bernard Lodge, Everglades, Frome, Golden Grove, Monymusk, and Worthy Park factories.             Details of this allocation are contained in the...

Pig farmers in the community of Sligoville and its environs in St. Catherine are to benefit from a donation of 100 bags of animal feed, valued at approximately $500,000. The donation, from Caribbean Foods Limited, came out of discussion between Minister with responsibility for Sports and Member of Parliament for North Central St. Catherine, Hon. Natalie Neita Headley, and Operations...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has partnered with the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) to assist pig farmers to boost pork production to meet increasing market demand. Labour Minister, Hon. Derrick Kellier, who was addressing the Montpelier Agricultural and Industrial Show in St. James on April 1, said both entities have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is seeking to reduce the food importation bill from US$1 billion to US$700 million in the short to medium term. “We have targeted some 8,000 acres of government lands that we intend to put into the hands of farmers and we are committed to putting in the basic infrastructure to help to get those...

In light of the prevailing drought affecting most parishes, farmers islandwide are being urged to utilize the National Irrigation Commission’s (NIC) water systems to irrigate their crops, instead of the National Water Commission’s (NWC) resources,  which are dedicated for domestic and personal use.     This call comes from Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Minister, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, who says...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, has again called on Jamaicans to increase production, as this is the only way to move the country forward. “I am confident that something is going to happen … now is the opportunity for us to rise and build,” he said. The Minister emphasized that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not...

An Agricultural Committee for St. Elizabeth was launched on March 21 by Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke. This Committee, comprising the 15 councillors in the parish, signals an alignment with the goals of the agricultural plan in the Vision 2030 national development plan, which has national food security and long term development as some of its goals....

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is training agriculture extension officers to combat the dreaded beet armyworm, which is affecting onions and escallion cultivation in South St. Elizabeth. The training comes against the recent outbreak of the disease, resulting in the destruction of some 45 hectares of crops valued at approximately $31 million. Some 20 Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)...

Plans are far advanced for the Easter Monday, April 1, staging of the Montpelier Agricultural and Industrial Show in St. James. Some $3.25 million has been allocated for the event, which is being put on by the St. James Branch Societies of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS). Speaking at the official launch at the Sunset Hotel in Montego Bay on...