Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Agro Investment Corporation (AIC), Dr. Al Powell, says Jamaica has the potential to expand its foothold in the global market for mango, which is valued at US $18 billion. He noted that in 2020, the country supplied over 291,321 kilograms of the fruit overseas, valuing US$623,190. “But that’s a drop in the bucket compared...

The Agro Investment Corporation (AIC) will assist farmers operating in the new mango agro park in Spring Plain, Clarendon to access quality seedlings for planting. Chief Executive Officer (CEO), AIC, Dr. Al Powell, said that the move is part of the phased opening of the new agro park. He was speaking at an investment breakfast at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel...

The Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC) has handed over leases to five investors to begin cultivation of 250 acres of land at the new mango agro park in Spring Plain, Clarendon. Chief Executive Officer of the AIC, Dr. Al Powell, said that the investors are expected to see returns on their investment in three years. “The mango agro park, after three years,...

The Plants (Quarantine) Act is to be repealed and replaced with a new, modern Plants Health Act. This follows Cabinet’s approval for the abolishment of the 1993 legislation. Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams, who made the disclosure, said this will make way for the enactment of comprehensive legislation that would be consistent with modern phytosanitary best...

Principal of the Little Bay Primary and Infant School in Westmoreland, Keron King, says the school’s farm will be further expanded. This expansion forms part of the school’s three-year plan to be a self-sufficient institution, the Principal told JIS News. What began as a small school garden containing mostly vegetables, now has chicken coops for the growing of chickens and...

Minister with responsibility for Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, is calling on stakeholders in the sugar industry to work with the Government to identify solutions to current weaknesses and impediments, in order to promote a thriving sector that can meet market demands. “Together we must find the right parameters for a sustainable Jamaican sugar industry – cane farmers, investors,...

Acting Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Richard Thompson, says that reducing the impact of natural hazards on sectors such as agriculture is critical in building a resilient economy. “When you talk about food safety, it is important that we are placing priority on building resilience in the agricultural sector,” he said. “Here in...