Greenhouse Symposium on March 31

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and the Caribbean Agri-business Association (CABA) will host the island’s inaugural Greenhouse Technology Symposium on March 31 under the theme: ‘Getting it Right’.
State Minister in the Agriculture Ministry, J. C. Hutchinson will be the guest speaker at the event, which is slated to commence at 8:00 a.m. at the Hilton Kingston.
In an interview with JIS News, Board member of RADA, Stanley Rampair, explained that the event is necessary to sensitize persons about the use of greenhouse technology, and to inform those who are already involved in the use of the technology, about the benefits, constraints and the possibilities.
He said the seminar will cover a wide range of topics including greenhouse construction, the different crops that can be grown, the technology required, fertilizer, pest management and food safety, and international trade.
A number of local and international resource persons, who are involved in the construction and use of greenhouse technology, will be on hand to make presentations, as well as answer important questions.
“The event is open to the public. It requires a registration fee of $1,500 to cover lunch and refreshment and it is open to farmers who are interested in greenhouse technologies, agencies, universities . these are people who would like to know more about greenhouses,” Mr. Rampair said.
The Ministry of Agriculture has been pushing the use of greenhouse technology as the way to boost production in the agricultural sector as a result of the high yield of crops grown using the technology, the pest free environment that the use of greenhouses offers to farmers, and the consistency of supply.