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The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has assisted more than 20 agro-investors to secure loans, valued at approximately $78.7 million, to start their businesses since March. Following the successful staging of its Agro Invest Expo, the Ministry received over 800 expressions of interest from potential investors in the sector. Director of Agricultural Support Services (ASSP), Hershell Brown, said that the...

Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, says the effort to privatise the sugar industry will be part of redefining the role played by government in serving the needs of the people. "Government cannot fix roads, maintain hospitals, manage schools, look after poor people in infirmaries and still be in the business of producing sugar. It doesn't make any sense...every pound...

The ninth staging of the St. James 4-H Clubs Advisory Council's premier fund-raising event, The Tropicana Nyammins and Jammins Food Festival, is slated to take place on National Heroes Day, Monday( October 19) at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex, Montego Bay. At a Press launch at the Sunset Beach Resort and Spa, Montego Bay, on Wednesday Sept. 23, the organisers...

Cabinet has approved the revised Jamaica Country Strategy for the Adaptation of the Sugar Industry: Year 2006 to 2020 (JCS II), which will replace the Jamaica Country Strategy for the Adaptation of the Sugar Industry: Year 2006 to 2015 (JCS I). This was disclosed by Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, says that greater use must be made of science and technology to improve the competitiveness and viability of the region's agricultural sector and ensure food security. Dr. Tufton was addressing the opening of the 2009 Caribbean Regional Science Technology and Innovation Workshop yesterday (Sept. 23) at the Knutsford Court Hotel in...

President of the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association (JPFA), Mrs. Angella Bardowell, has said that despite the challenges faced by members of the association during the 2008/09 fiscal year, pig farmers "stepped up to the plate and produced." Mrs. Bardowell was speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the JPFA on September 17, at the Golf View Hotel, in Mandeville, Manchester....

Chief Technical Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Mark Panton, has said that there are plans in place to roll out a National Animal Identification Programme. Dr. Panton was speaking at the 7th Annual General Meeting of the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association, Thursday (September 17) at the Golf View Hotel, Mandeville. "There are current plans to roll...

Plans are being implemented to boost the annual production of cocoa, and to ensure its viability and sustainability within the agricultural sector. Cocoa Industry Board (CIB) consultant, Neville Condappa, made the announcement while addressing a seminar to encourage investments in the sector, at Jamaica Trade and Invest's (JTI) offices in Kingston on Thursday (September 17). Mr. Condappa noted that cocoa...

President of the Kingston and St. Andrew (KSA) branch association of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Senator Norman Grant, has said that the society's Eat Jamaican campaign has been a major contributor to the growth in agricultural production since last year. "If we have no major disaster, growth in domestic agricultural production could end up at 10% this year, which...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has secured international assistance in the resuscitation of the island's cocoa industry. On Thursday (Sept. 17), Portfolio Minister, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton; United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director for Jamaica, Dr. Karen Hilliard; and President of the World Cocoa Foundation, Mr. Bill Guyton signed a declaration of intent, which will provide...

Chairman of the Manchester Parish Development Committee (PDC), Clarence Myers, has reiterated the need for the agricultural sector to be given the focus needed to be sustainable. "Agriculture is the way to go, bauxite wont be here for ever. Agriculture is more sustainable, and our actions must be to do more than we have been doing, and get the younger...

A team of experts from Agricultural Cooperatives Development International (ACDI) and Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (VOCA) will be in Jamaica next Wednesday (September 23), to assist the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in exploring restructuring the cocoa industry. The decision to send the team was made by President/CEO of ACDI/VOCA, Carl Leonard, at a meeting with Jamaica's Agriculture and...