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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, has said that the agricultural sector has been responding positively and filling the void left by a fallout in other industries. He pointed out that despite numerous challenges facing the productive sector throughout Jamaica, production within the agricultural sector has been steadfast and doing better than most of the other sectors....

Several peanut farmers in St. Elizabeth benefitted from a recent training seminar, hosted by the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, at the Warminster peanut factory in the parish. Presenter at the seminar, Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Mark Panton, told JIS News that the farmers can increase their yields by controlling their farming techniques. "At the...

Thousands of Jamaican farmers are to be exposed to best practices in agricultural production and available marketing opportunities through the inaugural staging of the Production and Marketing Organisation (PMO) conference and exposition tomorrow (June 25) at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium. The one-day event, which is the brainchild of Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, is being hosted...

President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Senator Norman Grant, has called on stakeholders in the agricultural sector to implement and drive the 'crop targeting' process, where crops are identified for production in specific quantities, in order to reduce the country's reliance and dependence on foreign foods. "Jamaica's domestic production statistics over the last 15 years is about 400,000 metric...

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...