Growth in Domestic Crop Production

Preliminary estimates for the second quarter of 2022 (April-June), show domestic crop production growing to 219,667 tonnes, an increase of 7.4 per cent over the corresponding quarter of 2021.

This is also an increase over the January to March quarter of 2022, by 3.6 per cent.

Domestic crop production grew by 10.4 per cent to 212,134 tonnes in the first quarter of 2022.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., provided details during the sitting of the House of Representatives on September 7.

“This performance represents the Government’s commitment to sustain gains and reflects one of the best-performing quarters on record. I want to commend our farmers, fishers, and all stakeholders as we display the continued recovery and growth of the sector coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, with increasing demand from both local and export markets,” Mr. Charles Jr. said.

The main crop groups showing increases in the quarter were yams, which grew by 16.5 per cent, plantains (11.7 per cent), cereals (sweet and regular corn) (11 per cent), vegetables (10.3 per cent), and potatoes by 4.8 per cent.

The top contributors to production remain the central parishes, with St. Elizabeth contributing 40,889.5 tonnes to the total national production volume, followed by 31,870.3 tonnes from Trelawny.

Meanwhile, Mr. Charles Jr. said the ‘Grow Smart, Eat Smart’ national campaign is the Ministry’s strategic response to the global threat of food security.

“Our objective with the development of this national campaign is to ensure Jamaicans have access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious, safe and fresh local produce,” he stated.

He added that the aim is to reduce the country’s food import bill, provide jobs, build livelihoods and make a significant contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).