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KINGSTON — The Competitive Coffee Enterprises Programme is to be further enhanced with an allocation of $49 million in the 2011/12 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. Implemented in September 2010, the objectives of the project are to provide capacity building of coffee co-operatives in the central and northern regions of Jamaica; improve the competitiveness of small...

KINGSTON — A sum of $148 million has been allocated in the 2011/12 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives, to continue work on the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Agricultural Competitiveness Programme this year. The objectives of the project are: to increase competitiveness in the agricultural sector; to facilitate small and medium farmers' access to markets; ensure...

PORT ANTONIO — Scores of persons participated in the Portland leg of the Ministry of Agriculture/European Union (EU) sponsored “Eat Jamaican” campaign road show, in Port Antonio, on Friday April 15. The show featured value added products, cultural performances by a number of persons and guest appearances by comedians Ity and Fancy Cat. Among the entities involved were the Jamaica...

MONTEGO BAY — Western Jamaica in for an agricultural treat come Easter Monday, April 25, with the staging of the Montpelier Agricultural and Industrial Show, on the Montpelier Show grounds on that day. Addressing the official launch at the Montego Bay offices of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), on Wednesday April 13, President of the St. James Association of...

KINGSTON — Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon Dr. Christopher Tufton, has called on the private sector to support the World Bank/Inter-American Bank-funded parametric insurance scheme. Dr. Tufton, who was speaking at the launch of Jamaica Blue Mountain (Jablum) decaffeinated coffee, produced by Mavis Bank Coffee Factory, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel Tuesday April 12, explained that the scheme protects...

MONTEGO BAY — Chairman of the COMPLANT International Group, Li Zhimin, says his firm plans an extensive overhaul of the three sugar estates it acquired from the Government last July, to create a modern large scale sugar enterprise which is the leading in the region. “Rehabilitating the three sugar estates, as soon as possible, is a shared aspiration among the...

KINGSTON — The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), through European Union (EU) funding of US$8 million, has been supporting efforts by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to significantly increase production of local foods. Speaking with JIS News, FAO representative in Jamaica, Dr. Jerome Thomas, explained that, through a two-year food facility project, the organisation has been assisting the agricultural...

KINGSTON — The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is putting resources and infrastructure in place for the production of rice and pepper mash, as it looks to promote the consumption of local foods and further reduce the country’s import bill. Speaking at a JIS Think Tank held on April 12 at the agency’s Half-Way-Tree Road offices, Permanent Secretary in the...

KINGSTON — Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon Dr. Christopher Tufton, says the Government will gradually dismantle commodity boards, and replace them with a structure with minimal state involvement, maximum private sector entrepreneurship and Jamaican brand protection. "Our position is that commodity boards today, whether it is the banana board, the coffee board, the cocoa board or the spices board,...

LONDON — High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), His Excellency Anthony Johnson has urged Jamaicans in the UK to take control of the importation of ethnic foods into the country. Addressing a community meeting in the midlands town of Walsall on the weekend, Mr. Johnson said that while Jamaicans continue to consume traditional foods in large quantities, other communities...

OCHO RIOS — Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. the Hon Christopher Tufton, has welcomed the support for the Ministry's 'Eat Jamaican' road shows, across the Island. “The public has been responding well to this campaign. We launched it in the Coronation (Market) and it went well, and last week we were in Mandeville and it was very good,” Dr....

KINGSTON — President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Glendon Harris, has praised farmers for their commitment to Jamaica's food security, in spite of the challenges they face. "The farmers must be commended for consistently rising to the challenge of production, despite the increasing cost of input material, the vagaries of weather, praedial larceny and marketing issues, among other things,"...