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Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (right), converses with Devon Plunkett Sr. (left), a farmer of Albion Mountain, St. Mary, during a tour of his farm on Wednesday (February 8). At centre is Member of Parliament for Central St. Mary, where Albion Mountain is located, Dr. Morais Guy.

Major Investors to Cultivate Onions

The Government is in discussions with two major investors for the planting of over 2,000 acres of onions as part of a project to boost supplies for the domestic and export markets. Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl...

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (right), is briefed on the functions of equipment used at the farm of Vijay Smith in Chovey, St. Mary, by Farm Manager, Anthony Marshall (second left), during a tour of the property on Wednesday (February 7). Others (from left) are Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) St. Mary Parish Manager, Jasmine Hyde, and Member of Parliament for South East St. Mary, where Chovey is located, Dr. Norman Dunn.

Minister to Seek Additional Funding to Repair Farm Roads

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (left), listens to banana and plantain farmer from Caenwood in Portland, Winsome Crossdale, during a tour of her farm on February 1, which was ravaged by recent heavy rains.

Gov’t Provides $55 Million for Portland Farmers; Moves to Protect Lands

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda (second left), hands over the accreditation certificate for the Veterinary Services Diagnostic Laboratory (VSDL) to Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Osbil Watson (third left) during a ceremony at VSDL’s offices on Old Hope Road in St. Andrew on January 31.Others (from left) are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Donovan Stanberry; Chief Executive Officer, Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), Sharonmae Shirley; Chairman, JANAAC, Simon Roberts; and Quality Manager, VSDL, Tricia Fraser.

Veterinary Services Diagnostic Lab Accredited for Testing of Fish

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry, addresses a workshop on the Updated Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) and Entrepreneurship Policy at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on Thursday (January 25).

Updated MSME and Entrepreneurship Policy Presented to Stakeholders

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Director General of the Public Sector Transformation and Modernisation (PSTM) Division, Office of the Cabinet, Veniece Pottinger-Scott.

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Ministries to Complete Service Improvement Plans by April

All Ministries are required to complete their customer service improvement plans by April 2018. The plans, for which preparation is under way, are aimed at ensuring efficient and high-quality service delivery across Government. Director General of the Public Sector Transformation and Modernisation (PSTM) Division, Office of the Cabinet, Veniece Pottinger-Scott, told JIS News that the Ministries of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, takes a picture of the Bakers Common to Halifax farm road in Manchester, during his tour of the roads on January 24.

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Farm Roads in Manchester and St. Elizabeth to Be Repaired

Almost 19 kilometres of farm roads are to be repaired in Manchester and St. Elizabeth between now and March 26 this year, at a cost of $81 million. This was noted by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, after he toured some of the roads on Wednesday, January 24. “The Ministry...

(FILE) The Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, the Honourable Karl Samuda

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Government Embarks on Programme to Expand Irrigation

The Government has embarked on a programme to expand irrigation on a number of farmlands located at the southern part of the country. “The efforts of this Government to expand irrigation is not only admirable, but critical. We are starting with Essex Valley, and there are also initiatives afoot to significantly improve irrigation in Southern St. Catherine and Clarendon, which...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda. (FILE)

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Assistance for Farmers in Portland, St. Mary and Trelawny

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries is to provide $100 million in support to farmers affected by the recent heavy rains in Portland, St. Mary and Trelawny. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, has explained that these three parishes experienced extreme flooding, not only causing agricultural damage of over $343 million but also significant infrastructure damage, such as farm...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, emphasises a point while addressing a press conference at the Ministry in Kingston on Tuesday (January 23). The Minister said the pre-shipment inspection regime for imported used motor vehicles will come into effect on February 1.

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Pre-Shipment Inspection of Imported Used Vehicles Begins February 1

The Government’s pre-shipment inspection regime for imported used motor vehicles, which will provide greater protection for consumers, comes into effect on February 1. Under the regime, the Government has employed the services of a company out of Japan, which will examine all used vehicles before they are shipped to Jamaica. Making the announcement today (January 23), at the Ministry in...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, addresses the Women and Youth in Agriculture Consultation Forum at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston on January 19.

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Agriculture Push-Start Going Well

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, says the pilot of the Agriculture Push-Start (APS) programme, launched in Guys Hill, St. Mary in October, is progressing well. Under the initiative, being undertaken in collaboration with the Promotion of Regional Opportunities for Produce through Enterprises and Linkages (PROPEL) project, among other partners, approximately...

Chief Plant Quarantine and Produce Inspector, Sanniel Wilson, speaks at a JIS ‘Think Tank’, today (January 9), about the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries initiative to deal with the Frosty Pod Rot (FPR) cocoa disease.

8 years ago AgricultureCommerceIndustry

Agriculture Ministry to Assist Farmers to Tackle Cocoa Disease

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries will commence sensitising and training farmers to manage the Frosty Pod Rot (FPR) cocoa disease, beginning tomorrow (January 10). Speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ today (January 9), Chief Plant Quarantine and Produce Inspector, Sanniel Wilson, said the first session will be held in St. Mary. “We are starting with that parish...