Farmers’ Exposition to be Held in Port Antonio on April 20

The 67th annual Portland Farmers Agricultural Exposition will be held at the Old Port Antonio Marina on Thursday, April 20.
In an interview with JIS News, Thelma Williams, Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) Regional Manager, said the exposition would be held under the theme: ‘Festival of Food – From Production to Consumption’, and would feature a number of displays, including agricultural produce, home economics, horticulture and exhibitions by a number of government and non-governmental organisations in the parish.
She said the event would also feature several sporting events, such as bun eating contest, grab bag competition, soft drinking competition, tug-o-war between JAS branches, and a domino competition.
Mrs. Williams explained that the show has been planned as part of events in Portland celebrating April as Farmers’ Month, adding that the reason for sponsoring the event was to help the JAS branches in Portland to become focussed and committed to the task of increasing and diversifying agricultural production.
She said the show would have a special focus on banana production and the various products which could be made from the fruit. She added that the event would also be used to sensitise the farmers of Portland about the importance of value added production, using the various crops produced in the parish.
Mrs. Williams pointed out that the JAS was receiving strong collaboration from the Portland office of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), in staging the event, and that there was a high level of enthusiasm being displayed by the farmers of the parish for the exposition.