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Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, says the Hope Estate in St. Andrew, site of the Hope Botanical Gardens and Zoo, in St. Andrew, is currently being operated by the Nature Preservation Foundation (NPF) Limited, under 49-year lease agreement from the Government. Responding to questions posed by Opposition Spokesperson on Agriculture, J.C. Hutchinson, during Wednesday’s (June 20) sitting of...

President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Glendon Harris, says the renewed effort by the Government to reduce praedial larceny is motivating farmers to stay in agriculture. Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the JAS, St. James parish organisation, held at the St. John’s Methodist Church, in Montego Bay, on June 20, Mr. Harris said that farmers across the...

Nine Jamaican companies are among 2,250 exhibiting entities representing 60 countries at the 58th Summer Fancy Food Show, which opened on Sunday, June 17, at the Washington Convention Centre in downtown Washington, D.C.  The companies are Associated Manufacturers Ltd., Baking Enterprise Ltd., Continental Bakery Company, Honey Kist, Apiaries Ltd., Jamaica Teas, Jamaica Yard Style, JP Tropical Foods Ltd., Salada Foods...

Jamaican foods and beverages are renowned globally for their high quality and exotic flavours, endearing the discerning taste buds and palates of many persons who continue to enjoy them. Cognisant of this and the competitive advantage which Jamaica’s unique foods present in the global marketplace, private and public sector stakeholders and interests have, both individually and collectively, been engaging  in...

Three farming groups, which benefited under the Organization of American States (OAS)-funded Rural Youth Capacity Building and Business Development Project (YOUCAB), were on June 14, 2012 presented with equipment as a contribution to the development of their business ventures. The presentation, made at the closing ceremony for the project at the Scientific Research Council’s (SRC) Hope Gardens offices, comprised stainless...

Members of the St. James Parish Council have placed tourism and agriculture  at the top of their agenda in meetings, and at Committee deliberations. This was stated by Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Glendon Harris, at a JIS ‘Think Tank’, held at the Montego Bay office of the agency, on June 13. The Mayor explained that  those two areas  provide...

State Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Ian Hayles, has welcomed the implementation of two projects by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), which seek to enhance the production of roots, tubers, vegetables and herbs in the region. “These projects are a step in the right direction as they are aligned with the Ministry’s strategic growth areas; onions,...

The Government will be seeking to collaborate with seafood distributor, Rainforest Seafoods, to assist with improving the output and consumption of products within the local aquaculture industry. This was stated by Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, during a tour of the seafood distributor’s new facilities at 67 Slipe Road in Kingston, on Tuesday June 12. He said...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is injecting US$2.5 million into initiatives to improve production of small ruminants. The money is being provided through the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) project, and will go towards efforts to improve breeding, provide training, develop the value chain, and expansion of herd through rapid multiplication techniques. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, in his...

Cabinet has approved the rationalization of the regulatory aspects of the Coffee Industry Board, the Cocoa Industry Board and the Export Division, to be consolidated into one administrative structure. Agriculture Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke, who made the revelation during his recent budget presentation, said the Ministry is now in the process of recruiting a consultant, “with significant expertise and experience...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will be spending some $39 million on marketing, training and rehabilitation initiatives in the fisheries sector this year. Through resources from the Fisheries Management and Development Fund, some $22 million will be allocated to undertake a marketing and promotion drive, training and capacity building of fish-farmer groups. Additionally, $17 million will go towards rehabilitating...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, said the Ministry will be working with farmers to get more local produce into the National School Feeding Programme to reduce cost and improve the nutrition of students. “Our farmers are going to be asked to work in clusters to provide some of the nutrition for our school children. We (are) going...