Haitian President Says Agricultural Enterprises Are Worth Replicating

President of the Republic of Haiti, His Excellency Michel Martelly, says  two  agricultural enterprises he  visited in Jamaica on November 15, are worth replicating in his country.

The President  and Minister  of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke,  toured the Jamaica Broilers production facility in Spring Village, and the Government’s Agro Park in Amity Hall,  both in St. Catherine.  A section of the  park  is  used by  Caribbean Broilers  to grow sorghum (a replacement for imported animal feed).

President Martelly told journalists  that the employment of  1,600 persons at the Spring Village plant was of  particular interest to him. He also took special note  that the enterprises reduce the need for imports.  “This is a good way to bring money into the country, instead of importing all goods,” he said.

“I was very happy to see that, and the fact that Jamaica Broilers is investing in Haiti. The enterprise down there is much smaller, but we expect to grow bigger and allow more people to get jobs in Haiti,” the President said,  while outlining the effort that he will be making to establish agro park type facilities in Haiti.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture said he and his Haitian counterpart, Mr. Jacques Thomas, have met and identified areas of collaboration between the two countries.

The Haitian Minister, according to Mr. Clarke, has pointed to specific ways in which Jamaica can help their agro-sector.

“We can share our experience with him, and he has already noted some of the things that he would like me to move forward with him, and we are going to be working very closely to make sure that something concrete happens,”  the Minister  said.

President Martelly and his 11-man delegation, who were in the island on a three-day State Visit, left the island  on November 15.