Gov’t Rolling Out Citrus Revitalisation Programme

More than 4,000 citrus plants have been distributed in Manchester as part of the Government’s strategy to revitalise the industry.

This was disclosed by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, who pointed out that the citrus revitalisation programme is being done in collaboration with the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI).

Mr. Green advised that former bauxite lands are being utilised for the citrus replanting exercise in Manchester.

He provided an update on the industry’s resuscitation while speaking during the 20th Jamaica Stock Exchange Investments and Capital Markets Conference at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Thursday (January 23).

The Minister informed that the industry declined as a result of the citrus greening disease.

“That wiped out the vast majority of our citrus crops; so we are on a programme to build that back,” the Minister said.

Mr. Green explained that as part of the strategy to rebuild the industry, research was undertaken to determine the varieties that are more resistant to the disease.

“We developed some green houses at Bodles (Research Station) that focused significantly on [that]. We have come up with a couple of varieties, and we have started rolling them out,” he said.

Mr. Green advised that a programme focusing on lime will also be undertaken.

“We just had a meeting yesterday about lime and rolling out a lime programme because, again, we do think we have a variety that can stand up well. So what you will see over the next five years is a massive rebuilding of our citrus sector and, hopefully, rebuilt in a way that it can withstand the citrus greening disease,” he said.