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Come June 16, farmers across the island will be able to lease tractor services from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) as the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries moves to increase productivity in the agricultural sector. The initiative, which comes under the Ministry's Farm Modernisation Programme, will enable farmers to prepare their land for planting at affordable rates. A total...

Jamaicans will have to consume more locally produced food in order to minimise imports and cushion the effects of the global financial crisis. This was the word from Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, as he delivered the keynote address at the Atlanta Jamaica Association's building and scholarship banquet held on May 30 at Angora Hill, Georgia, U.S.A....

The Mile Gully Producers Marketing Organisation (PMO) in Manchester on Friday (May 29) staged a farmers' market day to sell and promote the produce of farmers associated with the group. President of the group, Olive Johnson, told JIS News that the event, held at the Mile Gully Square, went well and attracted a number of customers. "It is the first...

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding has expressed regret at the passing, on Friday (May 29), of Astil Sangster, former Member of Parliament for North Eastern Westmoreland and former Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture. Mr. Sangster served as MP from 1980 to 1989 and as Parliamentary Secretary during that period. He was 75 years old. Mr. Golding noted...

A Dairy Herd Recording Programme has been launched, which will better assist farmers to select the best milk-producing cattle in their herds and to boost milk production in Jamaica. Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, who launched the programme yesterday (May 27) at the Bodles Research Station in St. Catherine, said that since 1978, there has been...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has assured redundant sugar workers that within a month they will be receiving payments due to them. Last night (May 27) he told listeners on his call-in radio programme Jamaica House Live, "We gave an undertaking that redundancy payments will be made in June. Both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed to...

President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Senator Norman Grant, says that agriculture remains Jamaica's best hope for stimulating economic recovery and overcoming the current global crisis. Senator Grant said, however, that for the sector to achieve full potential, there is a need for the coming together of stakeholders, including the JAS, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Rural Agricultural...

Members of the St. Elizabeth branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) gave the Essex Valley Showground a face lift on Saturday (May 23), by bushing and planting trees and flowers at the facility. Youth farmer and member of the JAS, Odell Henrick, told JIS News that they decided to carry out the venture, as this year they would not...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, has emphasised that the agricultural sector should not be viewed as a rescue plan in times of crisis, but should be seen as a tool for sustainable development. "A rescue plan suggests a short term measure to solve a particular problem at a particular point in time. A sustainable programme for...

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding has urged farmers in Clarendon to use the technology and expertise available to them to plant more and better ginger. Mr. Golding was visiting the community of Top Alston in Clarendon, which was abuzz with activity on Labour Day yesterday (May 25), continuing the project to establish a ginger sucker nursery. Farmers are being...

The district of Top Alston, in North West Clarendon, was abuzz with activity on Labour Day (May 25), as scores of persons turned out to participate in a ginger tissue culture project, one of six activities selected by the National Labour Day Committee for national focus. Situated in a prime ginger producing area, represented by Minister of State in the...

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding has called for more investment in the area of agro-processing, as adding value to local produce will result in greater economic rewards, not only for the sector, but for the country. "We need to do more with the items before we ship them away. We have to add value to the things that we...