More

KINGSTON — Cabinet has approved drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel for amendments to the Standards Act, the Processed Foods Act and related regulations. Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz, made the disclosure on May 12 post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House. He informed that proposals are being made to amend the legislation,...

KINGSTON — This year's staging of the Kingston and St. Andrew Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show - ‘Agro Fest’, will feature a host of exciting new activities to entertain the entire family, including a Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) ‘Eat What We Grow’ cook off competition. A canine display by Guardsman security company, health fair, farmers’ domino competition, police mounted troupe...

KINGSTON — Parish committees are to be established to carry out the planning of the major agricultural shows as Government moves to restructure and rebrand the events staged across the island each year. The committees will include the Custos of the relevant parishes, the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA). A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)...

KINGSTON — Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Marc Panton, says the Eat Jamaican Campaign is an avenue to provide Jamaicans with healthy foods, while creating wealth for local farmers. “I am sure you will all agree that we would rather encourage local spending with our farmers, than having to buy foreign exchange and send...

KINGSTON — Jamaica has not imported a number of vegetable crops, including lettuce, tomato, cabbage, carrots, and bell peppers, since the start of this year. Making the disclosure at a press conference on the domestic food crop sector for the first quarter of the year, on  May 2, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton pointed out that,...

KINGSTON — The Hounslow post-harvest and packaging facility in St. Elizabeth is to be opened by early June, says Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton. He said that the 8,800-square foot plant, which will be operated by GraceKennedy Limited, will serve as a “buying house for agricultural produce, where value will be created through post-harvest management." “We...

KINGSTON — Local farmers are displaying their typical resilience, with recovery from Tropical Storm Nicole now estimated at some 85 per cent, as they increase production and repay the loans with which they were assisted to replant their crops and sustain their livelihood. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Al Powell, explains that most farmers...

KINGSTON — Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton has signalled the Ministry's intention to stage Farmers' Market once per month, as part of the overall thrust to increase and support domestic crop production. He assured that in promoting  the Farmers’ Market, the Ministry is not seeking to replace or compete with traditional markets. “However, we do feel...

MANDEVILLE — Marketing Consultant at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Dr. Derrick Deslandes, says support for the ‘Eat Jamaican’ campaign is growing, as many persons are turning out at the road shows across the island. Speaking with JIS News at the May Pen leg of the road show, which was held on April 29, Dr. Deslandes said the project...

KINGSTON — Domestic food crop production for the January to March quarter was the highest in 11 years, with some 147,378 tonnes produced, 24.4 per cent more than the corresponding quarter for 2010. This increased production propelled the agricultural sector to grow by 14 per cent overall for the quarter, when compared with the similar period last year. Minister of...

MANDEVILLE — Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton says the agricultural sector is currently receiving more favourable attention from financial institutions. Speaking at an Arable lands Irrigated and Growing for the Nation (ALIGN) business meeting on April 27, at the St. Dorothy’s Anglican Church, in Church Pen, St. Catherine, the Minister said that while he is yet...

PORT ANTONIO — The Rural Agricultural Authority (RADA) is reporting that approximately $3.5 million in sales was generated from the fourth farmers' market held in Portland last week. RADA Marketing Officer for the parish, Erica Daley, told JIS News that 64 farmers from Portland, St. Mary, St. Catherine, Clarendon, St. Ann and St. Elizabeth participated in the market held at...