Growth in Agriculture Subsectors

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, has reported that there was growth in seven subsectors in agriculture in 2017, when compared to their production in 2016.

These subsectors are corn, plantain, banana, pineapple, dasheen, coconut and milk.

Mr. Shaw made the announcement during his presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (May 1).

“Notwithstanding an overall decline of 3.8 per cent in agriculture, we have seen growth in specific subsectors with a 7.9 per cent increase in the production of corns, including hybrid corn, which grew by a substantial 14.9 per cent. We also registered an increase of 6.1 per cent in plantains, 10.4 per cent increase in the production of bananas, 2.2 per cent increase in pineapple production, 13.3 per cent increase in dasheen, 24.9 per cent increase in coconut, (and) while milk production increased by 10.6 per cent,” he noted.

The Minister pointed out that Jamaica also recorded growth in poultry production for 2017.

“Once again, we have broken record in relation to the production of chicken meat, which in 2017 stood at 128.4 kilograms, representing nearly a two per cent increase over the 2017 figure. Egg production moved from 174.2 million in 2016 to 184 million in 2017. That is a 6.1 per cent increase,” Mr. Shaw said.

“The increase in chicken meat and eggs further reinforces our self-sufficiency in these two critical protein sources. We’ve also had growth in exports. We exported 35 per cent more bananas, 18 per cent more yams and fish, more baked goods and 11 per cent more meat and meat products,” he added.

Mr. Shaw reflected on the achievements of the Ministry in 2017, under the leadership of the former Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda.

“We developed the following policies and tabled them as Green Papers in the House during the last fiscal year – the Medium, Small and Micro Enterprise (MSME) and Entrepreneurship Policy, the National Quality Policy, the National Seed Policy and the Craft Policy,” he said.

In the area of legislation, Mr. Shaw said the following were enacted – The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority Act, 2017; The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Regulations, 2018; The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (Cess) Regulations, 2018; The Agricultural Loan Societies and Approved Organisation Act, 2017; The Fishing Industry (Special Fishery Conservation Area) (Amendment) Regulations, 2017; The Animal Diseases (Importation) Control (Amendment) Regulations, 2017; and The Companies (Amendment) Act – Global Forum Requirements.

Also passed were The Processed Food (Amendment) Act and Regulations, 2017; The Protection of Geographical Indications (Amendment) Act and Regulations, 2018; The Trade (Prohibition of Importation of Refined Sugar on Retailed Trade) Order, 2017; The Trade (Prohibition of Importation) (Used Tyres) Order, 2017; The Coffee Industry (Amendment) Regulations, 2017; The Trade (Dealer Disclosure) (Pre-Shipment Certificate) Order, 2018 and The Trade (Scrap Metal) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation, 2018.