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Animal feed and raw food and vegetables are being retained on the list of items being exempted from General Consumption Tax (GCT), Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, has announced. At the same time, the Minister disclosed that, following consultations and discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, it is proposed that, effective July 1, an...

The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) have partnered to provide shrimp vendors in Middle Quarters, St. Elizabeth with customer service training and support to improve their operations. Some 40 vendors, who were trained under the TPDCo flagship programme ‘Team Jamaica’, were presented with certificates on Thursday (May 31), at a ceremony held at...

Some $50 million is being made available to banana farmers under a resuscitation programme being undertaken by the Government, as it looks to build a sustainable domestic banana industry and cut down on imports of banana chips. Making the announcement during the 2012/13 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on May 30, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger...

Work on a National Food and Nutritional Security Policy is well advanced and is expected to be completed this financial year. This was disclosed by Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, during his contribution to the 2012/13 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on May 30. He informed that the Policy is being done in collaboration with...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, on Wednesday May 30 disclosed that COMPLANT International Sugar Industry Company Limited received tax incentives as part of an agreement to purchase government-owned sugar factories. Mr. Clarke, who was speaking during his contribution to the 2012/13 budget debate in the House of Representatives,cited a letter dated July 29, 2010, written by then...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is in the process of restructuring its marketing system to better enable farmers to find suitable outlets for their produce. “We are determined, this year, to reorganise the marketing structure. People must know when and (what farmers ) are going to plant,” portfolio Minister, Hon. Roger Clarke stated on Friday (May 25), as he...

A project, which sets out to enhance the climate change resilience of the agricultural sector and coastal areas, has received an allocation of $8.4 million in the 2012/13 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives. Being financed by the Adaptation Fund, the initiative seeks to establish a micro-dam; implement rainwater harvesting and small scale gravity irrigation and productivity...

A sum of $56.6 million has been allocated in the 2012/13 Estimates of Expenditure for several projects being undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, aimed at improving the quality of livestock and research and quarantine facilities. To the total, $21.2 million will go to the Animal Breeding and Husbandry project to continue measures to enhance livestock and animal...

A total of $78 million has been allotted in the 2012/13 Estimates of Expenditure to facilitate job creation endeavours in the agricultural sector for this financial year. Some 1,236 jobs are expected to be provided for the sector, through the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP), with funding support from the Petro Caribe Fund. Interventions for this 2012/2013 financial year include...

Jamaica’s efforts to become compliant with the United States Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA) have been boosted through a $100 million allocation in the 2012/13 Estimates of Expenditure. The aim is to ensure continued access of Jamaican foods to the United States and other leading international markets. The money will be used to provide technical and...

Some $89.4 million has been allotted to three projects being undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. They are: the Rural Development project, which has received $39 million; the Lining of Canals Project for which $32.5 million has been allocated; and $17.9 million for the Agricultural Engineering Project. This is outlined in the 2012/2013 Estimates of Expenditure, now before...

A sum of $10 million has been allocated to the Youth Development Programme within the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. As contained in the 2012/13 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives on May 10, the programme aims to develop the interest and capabilities of children and young adults in agriculture and community-related activities as a means of...