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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, officially opened the Ministry's Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) Unit, following a brief ceremony in the conference room of the Veterinary Services Division in Kingston on Tuesday (January 12). Part of the Ministry's Plant Quarantine/Produce Inspection Branch, the Unit is charged with the responsibility of curtailing the infestation of certain pests in...

With the Centre of Excellence for Advanced Technology in Agriculture (CEATA) now a reality, persons can begin benefitting from its work immediately, through the use of its official website. The CEATA, launched by Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding last March, was created to serve as a coordinating agency to address research and training in the agricultural sector. As part...

Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Jose Miguel Insulza, will attend the swearing-in of new Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA), Víctor M. Villalobos, on January 15, in Costa Rica. The Minister of Agriculture of Jamaica, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, will swear in the new Director General, in his capacity as the...

The Sugar Divestment Enterprise (SDE) has recommended that harvesting of the crop at Frome in Westmoreland be suspended for 10-15 days, to allow for the drying out of the fields and improvements in the quality of the cane supplied to the factory. The factory will continue receiving cane up until midday Thursday (January 7), after which burning will cease and...

Since its official launch just over a year ago, the National School Garden Programme is reaping rewards, realising more than over $32 million worth of agricultural produce, and providing fresh fruits and vegetables for schools across the island. The programme, which was launched in October 2008 by Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson,...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has received $35 million from the Government of Spain, to fund the construction of two greenhouses to promote protected agriculture, and to train extension officers and farmers from across the Caribbean region. The money will go to the Centre of Excellence for Advanced Technology in Agriculture (CEATA), which was launched last March, as part...

Ginger farmers are being given a chance to sell their produce abroad, through an initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, which aims to rebuild a sustainable market for the product. For years, Jamaican ginger was king until the mid 1990's, when the industry suffered a major decline due to plant pests and disease, namely rhizome rot. In an...

The parish of Clarendon is likely to see a boost in agricultural production, through the establishment of the Mocho Greenhouse Training Centre. A project of the Mocho Community Council through funding from the Alcoa Foundation, Jamalco, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Food for the Poor, the centre, which was officially opened last month, will provide training...

The agro-processing sector accounted for 30 per cent of the total loans disbursed by the National Export Import (Ex-Im) Bank of Jamaica during the 2008/09 financial year. This amounted to some $1.96 billion, and was the highest category of loans disbursed. The distribution and services sector accounted for $1.92 billion, while manufacturing followed with $1.54 billion. The food and beverage,...

The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) says the issue of the imposition of General Consumption Tax (GCT) on local agricultural produce will be fully explored at its board meeting in January. However, in the meantime, JAS president, Glendon Harris, has expressed concern at the Government's tax package and the inclusion of GCT of 17.5% on raw food items, such as fresh...

The St. James 4-H Parish Advisory Council continues its quest to improve and expand goat production in the parish through its Goat Revolving Programme. On Friday (December 18) three goats were presented to three student clubbites, bringing to 10, the number of animals that have been distributed under the programme since the start of the year. The recipients were: John's...

More than 250 workers displaced by the decline of the banana industry now have new career options, after completing the HEART Trust/ NTA Banana Sector Retraining Project. The project, funded by the European Union (EU), targeted communities in St. Catherine, St. Mary, St. Thomas, St. James, Portland and Clarendon. It gave some of the workers skills for transitioning to different...