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Praedial larceny was the main focus of a meeting among agricultural stakeholders, held at the Jamaica 4-H Clubs Training Centre at the Denbigh showground, in Clarendon, last week. The theme of the forum was: 'Praedial Larceny - Possible Solutions to the Single Greatest Deterrent to Agricultural Development', and taking part were representatives of the Jamaica School of Agriculture/College of Agriculture,...

With the 2009/2010 sugar crop season at the Frome Estate to officially close in a few days, Operations Manager, Mr. Victor Wright, said that production targets will be met and will most likely be surpassed. Harvesting at Frome started on December 4, 2009 and is scheduled to officially end on Tuesday, April 20, 2010. Mr. Wright, informed however, that reaping...

President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Mr. Glendon Harris, has said that the country's farmers must adopt modern agricultural methods to maximize production and improve competitiveness. Addressing the official handing over of a $2 million greenhouse and supplementary irrigation equipment to members of the Dromilly Agricultural Cooperative Society in Trelawny on Thursday (April 15), the JAS President stated that...

The 20 farmers affiliated with the Dromilly Agricultural Cooperative Society in Trelawny now have greenhouse technology, which is expected to boost their crop production. The facility and supplementary irrigation equipment were provided at a cost of approximately $2 million through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). Director of the CDF, Ms. Moveta Munroe...

Jamaican companies that participated in last month's International Food and Drink Expo in Birmingham, England, are reporting success in making new business contacts and promoting a range of local Jamaican food and drink products in the United Kingdom, European and wider international markets. Some 10 Jamaican companies covering a range of products including beverages; sauces, spices and condiments; breads, biscuits...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry, launched Farmers' Month activities Wednesday (April 7), with a charge to farmers' organisations to renew and restructure themselves. Explaining his call, during the launch at the Jamaica Agricultural Society's (JAS) office in downtown Kingston, Mr. Stanberry noted that oganisations, such as the JAS, needed to divorce themselves from commercial...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Hon J.C. Hutchinson, has challenged the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) to utilize its properties as grading and marketing outlets for farm products. Mr. Hutchinson said that the move would supplement attempts by his Ministry to assist farmers with the marketing of their produce, through the placing of marketing officers...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, has said that he will be looking at measures to improve the horticultural industry, which has seen a decline since Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Dr. Tufton, who was addressing the 47th staging of the St. Elizabeth Horticultural Society Annual Flower Show, held at Independence Park, in Black River, on April 5,...

In order to achieve an effective transition to a sustainable sugar cane industry, the government has set aside $857.6 million for the Sugar Transformation Project in the 2010/11 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives. As stated in the Estimates, the project aims to develop a sustainable private sector- led sugar cane industry by 2015; strengthen...

A project aimed at developing a technologically driven and modern agricultural sector has been allocated $66.3 million for the 2010/11 financial year. This is outlined in the 2010/11 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives. As stated under the Improving Jamaica's Agricultural Productivity Project, the objectives are to increase productivity and sustain production and marketing of...

Approximately 9.6 kilometres of flood-damaged farm roads in five parishes will be repaired this fiscal year, as work continues under the Reduction of Fluctuation in Export Exchange project. The parishes in which the work will be undertaken are Hanover, St. James, St. Catherine, Trelawny, and St. Ann. A sum of $128 million has been allotted for the project in the...

A total of $51.3 million has been allocated to the Rural Competitiveness Programme in the 2010/11 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives. The programme, which is funded by the Government and the Inter- American Development Bank (IDB), seeks to provide support that will result in the development of a modern, efficient and internationally competitive agricultural...