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Farmers in St. Elizabeth, who are members of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), have called on the organisation to provide them with greater assistance in accessing loans and acquiring large machinery such as tractors, as part of the process to increase agricultural production. At a meeting of the St. Elizabeth JAS held recently at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority's (RADA)...

Seventeen persons on Thursday (Jan. 30), benefitted from a leadership seminar staged by the St. Elizabeth 4-H Club, which targeted school principals and managers across the parish. The participants were exposed to presentations ranging from various leadership skills that are necessary for managers, to project writing and management. Presenter at the seminar, and General Manager at the St. Elizabeth Co-operative...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, has announced that the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Christopher Tufton, will be presenting to Cabinet on Monday, a submission identifying alternatives that will be considered for the future divestment of the sugar industry. Mr. Golding was speaking this afternoon (Jan 30) at a press conference at Jamaica House, called to report on the status of the...

A number of corporate entities in Manchester have provided much needed sponsorship for the Manchester 4-H Clubs Parish Achievement Day. Singer Jamaica Limited, National Commercial Bank (NCB), Manchester Co-operative Credit Union, Pro Hardware, and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) are some of the entities that have made commitments to provide sponsorship for the event. The disclosure was...

The Baronhaal Coffee Farm, in Cave Valley, St. Ann, which is owned by Jamaica Standard Products, has seen a record production by a single farm, of 26,000 boxes for the reaping period of 2007 to 2008. "It is the determination of the Baronhall team, as well as the commitment to use the latest technology that has facilitated the achievement, which...

The coffee industry has maintained its production of high quality products over the years, which has received international recognition resulting in significant benefits to the country. This, according to Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton, who made the observation the comments while on a tour of coffee processing and manufacturing facilities run by Jamaica Standards Products, in Manchester, Clarendon and...

A decision on whether Jamaica can begin the growing of rice on a commercial scale is to be made in another six months. This was disclosed by Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton, while on a tour of an experimental plot at the Bodles Research Station in Old Harbour, St. Catherine on Wednesday (Jan. 28). Dr. Tufton told JIS News...

Culinary Specialist with Grace Kitchens and Consumer Services, Maizie Miller, has added to the call for Jamaicans to make greater use of home-grown produce, in light of the global economic challenges. Mrs. Miller was giving the keynote address at the Manchester branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society's (JAS) half yearly meeting held at the Anglican Church Hall in Mandeville yesterday...

The Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division (FSPID) is conducting research, aimed at extending the shelf life of five varieties of sweet potatoes, and to determine cyanide levels in cassava. The varieties of potatoes being targeted by the research are Eustace, Fire on Land, Clarendon, Quarter Million, and Miss Mack, which are sold on the local and international markets....

The Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division (FSPID), is seeking to build on 50 years of success, by putting measures in place to enhance its operations, and exploring ways in which it can execute its duties more effectively and efficiently. "We will also be making representation to increase our staff complement, as well as our units into other areas...

The Ministry of Agriculture has allocated $12.7 million towards a project, now underway in St. Ann, which is aimed at increasing the production of certain crops in the parish. St. Ann Parish Manager for the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Pedro Worghs, told JIS News that the crops being targeted included carrots, Irish potato, yam, dasheen, sweet potato, ginger, red...

The Cascade Producers Marketing Organisation, in Hanover, a group comprising some 25 farmers from that rural district, signed an agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) yesterday (Jan. 21) which guarantees the farmers some $225,000 in assistance for production of the 'Lucea Yam'. According to FAO representative in Jamaica, Dr. Dunstan Campbell, the agreement,...