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General Manager of the Banana Board, Janet Conie.
General Manager of the Banana Board, Janet Conie.

Increase in Banana and Plantain Production

The banana and plantain industry enjoyed a very productive 2022, recording a 2.8 per cent increase in banana production and 18.7 per cent for plantain. Despite the effects of Tropical Storms Grace and Ida in 2021, the industry rebounded to...
Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Floyd Green (centre), looks at items on display at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) booth. He is accompanied by Chief Technical Director (Water, Works, Investment) in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Yaneke Watson (left) and Councillor for the Brompton Division, Withney Smith-Currie. Occasion was World Water Day 2023 activities at the St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) on Wednesday, March 22.
Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Floyd Green (centre), looks at items on display at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) booth. He is accompanied by Chief Technical Director (Water, Works, Investment) in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Yaneke Watson (left) and Councillor for the Brompton Division, Withney Smith-Currie. Occasion was World Water Day 2023 activities at the St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) on Wednesday, March 22.

Cabinet Approves Surveying of Lands for Pedro Plains Irrigation Scheme
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (right) and Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon Franklin Witter (left), listen keenly as farmer and owner of Kingsley Palmer Enterprises in Malvern, St. Elizabeth, Kingsley Palmer, talks about the preservation of his tomato plants, despite the drought. Occasion was a tour of farms in the parish by the Minister, on Wednesday (March 15).
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (right) and Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon Franklin Witter (left), listen keenly as farmer and owner of Kingsley Palmer Enterprises in Malvern, St. Elizabeth, Kingsley Palmer, talks about the preservation of his tomato plants, despite the drought. Occasion was a tour of farms in the parish by the Minister, on Wednesday (March 15).

Agriculture Minister Tours Farms in St. Elizabeth
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, makes a point during his presentation in the 2023/24 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, on March 16.
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, makes a point during his presentation in the 2023/24 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, on March 16.

Hundreds of Farmers in St. Elizabeth to Benefit from US$200-Million Irrigation Scheme
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (right), is shown a bottle of black castor oil by Jovaughn Bailey of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, during the Jamaica Bauxite Institute’s (JBI) Castor Industry Forum, dubbed ‘Black Castor Oil - Liquid Gold Untapped’, at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville, Manchester, on March 15.
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (right), is shown a bottle of black castor oil by Jovaughn Bailey of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, during the Jamaica Bauxite Institute’s (JBI) Castor Industry Forum, dubbed ‘Black Castor Oil - Liquid Gold Untapped’, at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville, Manchester, on March 15.

Black Castor Oil – Liquid Gold Untapped

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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., addresses a ‘Coffee Farmers’ Trade Day’ Expo at the University of Technology (UTech), on March 14.
Agriculture

Farmers Encouraged to Embrace Innovation

Local farmers are being encouraged to support the agricultural sector’s modernisation by embracing ongoing changes across the industry.. Speaking during a ‘Coffee Farmers’ Trade Day’ expo at the University of Technology (UTech) in St. Andrew on Tuesday (March 14), Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., said farmers should not regard innovation and transformation occurring within the sector...
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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (right), enjoys a sample of coffee cane juice during his visit to a display area set up by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) at a ‘Coffee Farmers’ Trade Day’ expo. The expo was held inside the Alfred Sangster Auditorium at the University of Technology (UTech), on March 14.
Agriculture

Increase in Coffee Production

Coffee production increased by 5.1 per cent in 2022, when compared to the previous year, and is projected to continue an upward trajectory in 2023. This was revealed by Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., while speaking today (March 14) at a ‘Coffee Farmers’ Trade Day’ expo, at the University of Technology (UTech) in Kingston. The Minister...
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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., emphasises a point during a media briefing at the Ministry’s headquarters in St. Andrew, on Wednesday (March 8).
Agriculture

RADA to Receive $36.9 Million for Drought Support to Farmers

Approximately $36.9 million is to be disbursed immediately to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, to assist in alleviating the impact of drought conditions affecting farmers. This was announced by Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., during a press conference at the Ministry’s Hope Gardens headquarters in Kingston, on Wednesday (March 8). He...
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Director of the Tourism Linkages Network (TLN), Carolyn McDonald Riley.
AgricultureTourism

Coffee Farmers Trade Day on March 14

Coffee farmers in Portland, St. Andrew and St. Thomas are being invited to attend a ‘Farmers’ Trade Day’, slated for Tuesday, March 14, at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium, University of Technology (UTech) Jamaica, beginning at 9:00 a.m. The event is being organised by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), with support from...
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Representative from the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Jamaica, Gabrio Marinozzi (right), presents a certificate to Clovaline Thomas, who was a participant in the Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA) training workshop. Occasion was the closing ceremony for the programme and presentation of certificates held on March 3 at the Farmers’ Training Centre in Twickenham Park, St. Catherine.
Agriculture

PHOTOS: Closing Ceremony and Presentation of Certificates to PICSA Trainees

Representative from the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Jamaica, Gabrio Marinozzi (right), presents a certificate to Clovaline Thomas, who was a participant in the Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA) training workshop. Occasion was the closing ceremony for the programme and presentation of certificates held on March 3 at the Farmers’ Training Centre in Twickenham Park, St....
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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (FILE)
Agriculture

Agriculture Ministry Allocated $21.25 Billion for 2023/24 Fiscal Year

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has been allocated $21.25 billion to undertake activities for the 2023/24 fiscal year. This represents a 19 per cent increase or $3.39 billion more than the previous year. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. made the disclosure during a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives at Gordon House on...
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Director, Tourism Linkages Network, Carolyn McDonlad Riley.
Agriculture

Coffee Innovation Competition Added to Activities for Coffee Festival

Persons are being invited to participate in the Coffee Innovation Competition, the newest feature of the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival. Director, Tourism Linkages Network, Carolyn McDonald Riley told JIS News that the competition is a “unique opportunity to show off creativity and innovation through the development of coffee-based products”. Interested persons are being asked to record a 60-second video...
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