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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., speaking during Wednesday’s (September 7) sitting of the House of Representatives.

Agriculture Ministry to Conduct Crop Spraying Trials Pilot Using Drones

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will be conducting a crop-spraying trials pilot in the New Pen and Yallahs extension areas using drones this season. “Through this we expect to use less and get more through greater efficiency in crop...

Growth in Domestic Crop Production

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., speaks at a JIS ‘Think Tank’, today (September 7), at the Agency’s Head Office in Kingston.

Ministry Seeks to Expand Agriculture in Urban Areas

Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Parish Manager for Trelawny, Courtney Taylor.

RADA Assists Trelawny Farmers to Transition From Sugar Cane

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda (left), and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (right), plant a tree at the Amity Hall Agro Park in St. Catherine, on August 31. It was the official launch of a multiagency partnership to plant 6,000 trees, in commemoration of Jamaica’s 60th Anniversary of Independence. Others pictured are (from left) Chief Executive Officer and Conservator of Forests, Ainsley A. Henry; Board member of the Agro Investment Corporation, Errol Green; Orville Palmer, and two children of a farmer in the area.

Initiative by AIC to Plant 6000 Trees

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (centre), converses with (from left) Project Manager, Southern Plains Agricultural Development (SPAD) Project, Wayne Williams; Chief Executive Officer, National Irrigation Commission, Joseph Gyles; British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Her Excellency Judith Slater, and Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Representative, Andrew Dupigny, during a tour of the Amity Hall worksite in St. Catherine on Thursday (September 1).

4 years ago AgricultureFisheries

Southern Plains Agricultural Project Progressing Ahead of Schedule

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is reporting that the Southern Plains Agricultural Development (SPAD) Project is progressing ahead of schedule. Speaking during a tour of the Amity Hall worksite in St. Catherine on Thursday (September 1), Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. said he expects the impact of the project to be massive. “It’s going to push agriculture, push...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (second right), displays potatoes from this year’s crop as he listens to a point being made by Coordinator of the National Irish Potato and Onion Programme, Locksley Waites (left). Occasion was the launch of the 2022 National Irish Potato and Onion Programme in Guy’s Hill, St. Catherine, on August 31. Also pictured are (from left) Member of Parliament, St. Mary Western, Robert Montague; Member of Parliament for St. Catherine North East, Kerensia Morrison; and Acting Chief Executive Officer, Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Winston Simpson.

4 years ago AgricultureIndustry

Government Invests $200 Million in Irish Potato and Onion Production Project

The Government is investing $200 million in the national Irish potato and onion programme, to increase the hectares under production and to improve yields of these crops. The sum of $150 million has been allocated for the Irish potato programme, while $50 million will be invested in onion production. Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., said for the...

Onion farmer, Lawrence Lynch, on his farm in Yallahs, St Thomas, where he has contributed to the parish considerably exceeding the national onion yield.

4 years ago Agriculture

St. Thomas Farmers Making Strides in Onion Production

Farmers in St. Thomas are being lauded for their significant strides in onion production, which has considerably surpassed the national yield. Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., noted that during the fall season, more than 100 hectares of onion have been produced in the parish, with the support of the Ministry’s production incentive programme. “The parish also exceeded...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., speaks at a handover ceremony for two backhoes to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) to support farming communities in St Thomas and Westmoreland. The event took place at the Agro-Investment Compound in Kingston on Wednesday (August 24).

4 years ago Agriculture

Millions Allocated to Help Farmers Prepare Land

Some $20 million has so far been issued to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for a special incentive programme for land preparation. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr, said: “During my sectoral presentation, we made a commitment to support new farmers through this programme, at a value of $63 million, and I...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (centre) and State Minister, Hon. Franklin Witter (fifth left), participate in a ribbon-cutting exercise at the handover ceremony for two backhoes to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) to support farming communities in St. Thomas and Westmoreland. Joining them are (from left) Parish Agricultural Managers, Westmoreland and St Thomas, Yuri Stephenson and Bevene Martin-Dickenson; Acting CEO, RADA, Winston Simpson; Vice Chairman, RADA Board of Directors, Richard King; and Chief Technical Director, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Orville Palmer.

4 years ago AgricultureTransport

RADA Gets Backhoes to Assist Farmers in St. Thomas and Westmoreland

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) has received two backhoes from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to provide services to farming communities in St. Thomas and Westmoreland. The units, costing some $38.76 million, were handed over by portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., today (August 24) at the Agro-Investment Corporation compound in Kingston. Mr. Charles Jr said the move...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr, bumps fists with participants in the Budding Farmers Summer Grow Camp during a visit to the camp, which was held recently in Kingston. The camp catered to children aged three to 12 and introduced them to techniques of farming.

4 years ago AgricultureFisheries

Successful Summer Grow Camp Staged by Budding Farmers Jamaica

Budding Farmers Jamaica, the newest Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries-endorsed initiative to promote farming among children, has successfully staged its first in-person Summer Grow Camp, two years after executing the programme online. For three weeks in July, participants, ages 3-12, were engaged in exciting activities to develop their understanding of the environment and promote food security. The camp was held...

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., has welcomed the cut in chicken price by $12.50 per kilo by Best Dressed Chicken.

4 years ago AgricultureFisheries

Agriculture Minister Welcomes Chicken Price Cut

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., has welcomed the price cut by Best Dressed Chicken and is anticipating a domino effect across the sector. The company has reduced the cost of its Grade-A Whole Bird and Mixed parts by $12.50 per kilo, as of Thursday, August 18. Minister Charles Jr. said the price cut is coming at a...