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The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is urging the full cooperation of farmers as the Authority begins a survey on April 1 in St. James, to determine how many fields in the parish are affected by the Moko disease. The survey will encompass all districts in the entire parish including households in Montego Bay. The inspections will begin in the...

A sum of $14 million has been allocated to the Livestock Research and Improvement programme in the Ministry of Agriculture. The funds, which have been earmarked in the 2004/05 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives today (March 31), are focused on improving livestock and animal products. The allocation is for five sub-projects, including the Feeds Research and...

The Jamaica Agricultural Society's Coffee Growers Cooperative Federation and the Cocoa Growers Cooperative Federation have merged as they strive to become more viable entities. The merger took place on Thursday (March 4) at a joint annual general meeting of the organizations.Speaking with JIS News, Chairman of the Coffee Growers Cooperative, Jonathon Newton explained that the merger had been agreed for...

Against the background that the Jamaican products to have the greatest success in the UK market is food and drink, the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) continues to facilitate its local partners through a campaign tagged "Flavours of Jamaica". As local exporters prepare for the Food and Drink Expo, scheduled for Birmingham, UK, March 14 - 17, JAMPRO hosted a final...

Farmers of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) are to benefit from farming equipment valued at some $12.6 million under a Tractor Tillage Project financed by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ).The equipment was handed over at a ceremony on Tuesday (March 2) at the Denbigh Agricultural Showground in Clarendon. In speaking at the handing over ceremony, Minister of Agriculture, Roger...

Efforts to enhance the production and quality of coffee for greater impact on the export market are well under way with the sixth training seminar for coffee farmers carried out by the Coffee Industry Board (CIB) in Montego Bay on Thursday (Feb. 26). The seminar targeted 50 leading representatives from coffee farming clusters from St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland and...

Minister of Agriculture, Roger Clarke has indicated that the sanitary and heath facilities on the Pedro Cays will be upgraded. He also emphasised that the  Fisheries Division would  not be tolerating unauthorised or unlicensed persons on the Cays. “As most of you are aware, the annual licensing exercise of fishers and vessels that operate from this area was completed at...

They speak of bees like mothers speak of babes. Their eyes gleam with awe and what can only be described as love, amongst a medley of other emotions. Perhaps only fellow beekeepers could share the care and fascination of Audrey and Mortimer Wilson, but even if you aren't a beekeeper, they certainly make you want to understand their passion, their...

The Jamaica Organic Agriculture Movement (JOAM) is currently developing a local certification programme, which will provide assurance to local consumers that they are purchasing certified organic products. This is being done in collaboration with the Caribbean Regional Human Resources Development Programme for Economic Development (CPEC) Speaking to JIS News, JOAM Chairman and Lecturer at the University of the West Indies,...

Agriculture Minister, Roger Clarke has called for stronger participation and support on the part of local stakeholders to help with the successful management and monitoring of the island’s forests. The Minister, who was delivering the keynote address today at the launch of the Manual of Dendrology by the Forestry Department of the Agriculture Ministry at the Hilton Hotel in Kingston,...

The country's farmers are being encouraged to get into the small ruminant sector based on the vast potential for the marketing of goat and sheep meat locally and internationally. Agricultural Economist, Dr. Charles Douglas, while addressing a recent workshop on the economic viability of the small ruminant sub-sector in Jamaica, said that based on a recent study he conducted, he...

Pests may soon be of little or no concern to farmers in Hall Head, Danvers Pen, St. Thomas, as they have been introduced to an environmentally friendly insecticide to keep insects away from vegetable crops produced for local and overseas markets. A training day for the farmers was organized by the St. Thomas office of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority...