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MANDEVILLE — Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Robert Montague, has said that there is to be an urgent restructuring of the Coffee Industry Board, and new management strategies to ensure that farmers get the best price per box of the bean. “There are two critical strategies for the coffee industry, the first is diversification of the market, and the...

MANDEVILLE — Preliminary figures are showing a 33 per cent increase in domestic crop production for the April to June quarter. This is a continuation of the growth trend from the January to March quarter, where some 147,378 tonnes of food crops were produced, representing a 24.4 per cent increase over the corresponding period for 2010. The figure, which was...

Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding said that the government was making strides to transform the agriculture sector to ensure that it becomes an exciting one. He was marking the opening of the J$45 million post harvest and packaging facility at the Hounslow St. Elizabeth property of the Ministry of Agriculture. The plant was constructed under the Improving Jamaica's Agricultural Productivity...

KINGSTON — Newly appointed Minister of Agriculture, Hon Robert Montague, says that a focus of the Caribbean 4-H Food Festival, scheduled for Kingston in late July, will be the generation of value added products from excess agricultural production. “We need to move from primary production to secondary production. We need to move to processing, so that the farmers’ income and...

KINGSTON — Programme Manager for the Jamaica Citrus Protection Agency, Alfred Barrett is assuring that while the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has closed all citrus nurseries, as a result of the greening disease, the industry itself is not out of business. Mr. Barrett was addressing yesterday's post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, where he outlined the rationale for closing...

PORT ANTONIO — Executive Director of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, Lenworth Fulton, has called on farmers in St. Mary to revive the production of traditional crops, even as they continue their efforts to achieve diversification with others. Giving the keynote address at the annual general meeting of the St. Mary branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) in Highgate, last...

MONTEGO BAY — Former Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, presented over 40 employees of Frome Sugar Estate, Westmoreland, with lease agreements on Friday July 1, 2011. The lease agreements, handed out at the factory, are part of Government’s objective to assist displaced sugar workers and their dependents who qualify under the Sugar Company of Jamaica Holdings...

PORT ANTONIO — Approximately four tons of fresh farm produce were sold in St. Mary during the latest round of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)-sponsored farmers markets held on Wednesday June 29. A total of 10 farmers brought their goods to the market, which was held at the Trinity Boxing Plant in Port Maria. Vegetables were the produce of...

MONTEGO BAY — Farmers across  the country have been encouraged to mulch their fields  and  to  give free days  on each other’s farms, in order to cut costs and become more competitive. Support Service Manager at the Grand Palladium Hotel in Montego Bay, Leroy Peart,  told farmers at the recent St. James Association of Branch Societies annual general meeting  in...

KINGSTON — Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton says a concerted effort is being made to ensure that there are no imported products on display at this year's staging of the annual Denbigh Agri-Industrial and Food Show 2011. Speaking at the launch of the 59-year-old show, held on the lawns of the Ace Supercentre, White Marl, St....

KINGSTON — Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton has urged local farmers to learn how to effectively use technology and proper business skills, to take full advantage of the agricultural market and further develop the sector. “It is not enough for us in the sector to just embrace and apply technology. Technology has to apply within the...

KINGSTON — The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) has unveiled several new features, which will be incorporated into this year’s staging of the Denbigh Agri-Industrial and Food Show 2011, in a move to increase patron participation. According to JAS President, Glendon Harris, the new features are in line with efforts to attract a record number of patrons to the event, which...