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President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Glendon Harris, says Farmers’ Month 2012 will feature mainly field days and training activities. “We are of the strong belief that training is one of the direct means to empower our farmers to increase productivity and, as a result, during this year’s Farmers’ Month, we will be focusing our energies on field days...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has launched a new variety of disease resistant and higher yielding bananas and plantains, which are expected to facilitate increased cost efficiencies by 30 per cent for local banana farmers. It is also expected that the new crops will help to create a sustainable value added market within three years. The bananas and plantains,...

A new local tomato paste is to be introduced to the market soon, as the Government moves to decrease the level of imports of the commodity, says State Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Ian Hayles. He was addressing the launch of Farmers’ Month, at the downtown Kingston offices of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, on April 4. "Over the short,...

A number of agricultural stakeholders in St. Elizabeth are lauding the rainwater harvesting project being undertaken in Lititz, noting that it has brought hope of increased yield for farmers, who have long suffered the effects of seasonal drought conditions. The $4.5 million project now underway and is slated for completion in June, involves resuscitation of a six million-gallon catchment tank...

The fish that once seemed untouchable with its defensive spines, has now proven conquerable, quickly whipped up into a delicious dish, the lionfish could easily become the seafood of choice for many a discerning palate. With endless methods of preparation, and fast becoming the main ingredient in many exotic dishes, the lionfish has been dubbed “the Caribbean’s new delicacy” in...

Newly installed Mayor of Black River, Councillor Everton Fisher, said the economic development of St. Elizabeth will be a top priority during his tenure. He said the objective will be achieved through partnership with the private sector and other bodies. "We have to look beyond drain cleaning. We have to bring this parish of St. Elizabeth to greater economic stability...

The Jamaica Exotic Flavours and Essences Company (JEFE) in St. Elizabeth is providing farmers with a ready market for their fruits and vegetables, which would otherwise have been rejected by consumers due to small size, or unattractive appearance. The company, which is the brain child of businessman, Anthony Freckleton, was established in 2006, under a joint venture agreement with the...

Plans are well advanced for this year's staging of the annual Montpelier Agricultural and Industrial Show, which will be held on Easter Monday (April 9) on the Montpelier grounds in St. James. The event, which is being organised by the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) in partnership with the St. James Association of Branch Societies, is expected to cost $2.28 million....

Enterprising residents of two-low income communities in Kingston have set up ornamental fish operations, through which they can earn income for themselves and their families. The entrepreneurs, from Jones Town and Tower Hill, were beneficiaries under the European Union (EU)-funded ‘Building Skills and Creating Wealth’ project, which was carried out from September 2011 to March 2012. The $13.5 million initiative,...

There is renewed call for Jamaicans to consume lionfish in a bid to control the impact of the species on marine life. This comes as the Scotiabank Group launched its ‘Scotia Goes Green On Lion Fish: Let’s Eat Them to Beat Them’ campaign on March 22 at the University of the West Indies Port Royal Marine Laboratory and Biodiversity Centre...

Reaping of Irish potato, planted under a project involving the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Newport Fersan, Agro Grace, and the Christiana Potato Growers, is now taking place at locations across the island. Cyril Chambers from the Marketing Development Unit of Agro Grace told JIS News that the crop was cultivated on nine demonstration plots in nine parishes across the...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, said that focus must be placed on value-added activities in the cocoa industry in order to move the sector forward. He was speaking at the launch of the Re-engineering the Cocoa Rural Economy through Agro-processing Eco-Tourism and Entrepreneurship Project (RECREATE) on March 20 at the Ministry’s Hope Gardens headquarters in Kingston. While...