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Cabinet has approved divestment of two factories owned by the Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ) - St. Thomas Sugar Company (formerly Duckenfield) and the Trelawny Sugar Company - to private interests. St. Thomas Sugar Company will be divested to a consortium comprising Fred M. Jones Estate Limited and Seprod Limited, while the Trelawny Sugar Company will be divested to Everglades...

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is reporting an increase in crop production in Manchester. Deputy RADA Parish Manager, Samuel Harris, said that more than 4,253 hectares of crop were reaped in Manchester for the period June 2008 to June 2009, reflecting a 16.5 per cent increase over the previous reporting period. "That is very good. That places (Manchester) third...

In a time of global recession and personal financial hardships, there are still some people, who continue to give generously, for the benefit of others. One such person is 87-year old Stanley Amritt, affectionately called 'Busher', a kind and caring banana farmer from the rural community of Highgate in St. Mary. Mr. Amritt donated $4.5 million for the construction of...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, is urging farmers to increase their production, in order to fill most of the void that has been created by the decline of the bauxite industry. The Minister, who was addressing the Annual Conference of the St. Elizabeth branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), on Thursday, (June 18) at the...

The Government is seeking to make a number of changes in the country's trade policy in order to benefit local producers. Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton gave this assurance at the Annual Conference of the St. Elizabeth Jamaica Agriculture Society (JAS) chapter, held at the Sharon Baptist Church, in the parish on Thursday, June 18. "If...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry, has said that while crop insurance is critical to the agricultural sector, individuals need to play a proactive role in their approach to disasters. Speaking at a technical workshop on Weather Risk Management Strategies for the Agricultural Sector, at the Hilton Kingston Hotel on Thursday June 18, Mr. Stanberry...

The Jamaica Goat Farmers Association is looking to put a number of projects in place to increase goat farming in Jamaica, which will boost animal stock, meet the high demand, and reduce the price for goat meat. These initiatives, which will be funded through an expected $81 million grant from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), include the setting up...

Goat farmers in Manchester were sensitised about all aspects of goat rearing at a seminar, organised by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), at its offices in Mandeville, Manchester on June 16. The farmers were provided with information on areas such as nutritional and health issues affecting goats; the effects of feeding grains as a supplemental feed on small ruminants...

Farmers who have been affected by the Beet Army Worm in St. Elizabeth, will begin receiving assistance next week. This was announced by Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, at a meeting with farmers, held at the Pedro Plains Anglican Church, in St. Elizabeth, on June 17. "I have instructed that the parish tractor service be made...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, has said that the food processing sector has the potential to earn the country about US$500 million each year. Speaking at Sterling Asset Management Limited at its new Barbados Avenue offices, on June 17, Mr. Shaw stated that with the required support, food processing could make up the shortfall left...

Manager of the St. Ann branch of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Pedro Worghs, has reported high yields from the production and productivity programme for farmers in the parish. "This programme involves a number of selected crops, namely, Irish and sweet potatoes, hot pepper, carrot, onion and dasheen," Mr. Worghs told JIS News. He added that the programme was...

The Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ) began paying off its former employees, on Tuesday (June 16), as a prelude to the divestment of the factories and fulfilling a commitment made last year by the Government. A release from the SCJ reported that $1.8 billion was paid out to 5,573 employees at the five Government-owned estates across the country - Bernard...