STATE MINISTER for Agriculture, Dr. Fenton Ferguson, has reported that over 2,000 coffee farmers in St. Thomas produced in excess of 80,000 boxes of coffee during the 1999/2000 crop.
He pointed out that there were over 8,700 seasonal workers in the coffee industry in the parish, mainly women, who had played a critical role in the sector which contributed significantly to the economy.
"Any aspect of the agricultural sector that can generate over US$30 million annually to the national economy must be taken seriously," Dr. Ferguson said.
He was addressing about 40 coffee farmers on Wednesday from St. Thomas, who visited the Scientific Research Council (SRC) in Kingston to examine the current technological, cultural, and management practices being used in agriculture, particularly in relation to the coffee industry.
Noting that this was the third occasion that coffee farmers from St. Thomas were being exposed to the latest technology, Dr. Ferguson said "they are sending the right signal, as we are living in an era where knowledge will be the centre of how we develop our country."
"You couldn't have been in a better place; the direction of the SRC today is one which is taking and has taken Jamaica into the 21st century and today's exposure will confirm that with leadership, with vision, what is possible for small island developing states like Jamaica," he said.
The State Minister noted that it was difficult for persons to understand that Jamaica had "the best product in the world, which attracted the best price, yet many coffee farmers were not earning any money. It is an unusual situation and what it points to is that there must be some flaw and some problem somewhere...," he said.
Rosy Fisher, Public education manager at the SRC, told JIS News that the council was seeking to develop partnerships with coffee farmers to impart information on how science and technology could increase efficiency and further develop the industry.
Presentations were made on the SRC's Waste Research Management and Training Centre and how it could assist coffee farmers to treat their waste for utilisation in crop irrigation, fertilisation and energy production.
The Tissue Culture Unit also showcased how it could help the industry produce disease-free plantlets while the Food Technology Institute demonstrated how it could assist with the development of value-added foods. Also of interest, was a presentation on the use of coffee husks in the growth of mushroom spawn. The farmers also got a chance to tour the SRC.
