Junior Beckford, employee of the Pimento Export Division in the Ministry of Agriculture, examines a young pimento plant being grown at the Division on Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston. - Contributed
THE MINISTRY of Agriculture has implemented a Pimento Re-habilitation Programme to increase the production of pimento berries.
The three-year programme that started in June of this year is estimated to cost $129 million.
According to Melbourne Richardson, general manager at the Pimento Export Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, the rehabilitation programme was intended to increase the supply of the product for the export market. The country earns approximately US$6 million annually from the export of pimento berries, leaf oil, mixed spices and other by-products.
Jamaica currently exports pimento to the United States, Canada, Japan and some European countries including Germany and the United Kingdom.
Since 1997, the price of pimento berries has risen from $45.19 per kilogram ($20.50 per pound) to the present price of $110.23 per kilogram ($50 per pound).
The increase in farm gate price has however not led to a corresponding increase in production with only 1,564 tonnes of berries reaped in 1999, way below the over 2,200 tonnes per annum that is needed to satisfy local and export demands.
"Although the price of pimento has increased by over 143 per cent over the last three years, we are still not getting enough pimento for export", Mr. Richardson said.
He blamed the decrease in production on the destruction of trees caused by the reaping of leaves for leaf oil extraction, the removal of trees for bauxite mining and housing development and the use of trees for firewood and flavouring in the jerk meat industry.
He also cited the ageing of the trees in the principal production areas and the difficulty experienced in obtaining labour for reaping due to the nuisance of black ants.
Stating that the rehabilitation programme was intended to encourage greater levels of production, Mr. Richardson said it would include the implementation of a Pimento Plant Propagation Project, where plants would be distributed to farmers free of cost. He mentioned that 30,000 plants had already been distributed.
He stated that the plants would only be distributed after the area for planting has been inspected and found to be suitable and farmers have submitted an application form, which are available at the Export Division, Rural Agricul-tural Development Authority (RADA) offices islandwide and from Government Purchasing Agents.
Drying and reaping facilities will also be provided to farmers to improve the quality of the product so as to maximise returns. Mr. Richardson said the "canvas drying surface" had proven to be the most suitable drying surface.
To access the canvases, farmers are required to have a minimum of 20 to 100 trees, and every additional 100 trees would entitle the farmer to another drying unit, with the maximum of three units per farmer.
In addition, reaping equipment, including clippers would also be provided to farmers free of cost, to prevent the destruction of trees by the removal of too much wood and foliage. The clippers, Mr. Richardson explained, would also ensure thorough reaping of over-grown trees of up to 40 feet or more, by making branches more readily accessible.
He said focus would also be placed on research and development and sales promotion.
The general manager also mentioned plans to establish demonstration plots on selected farm holdings and the Ministry's research stations in the major pimento producing areas of St. Ann, St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Westmoreland and St. Mary.
The stated that a demonstration plot had already been set up at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland, and the Orange River Agricultural Research Station in St. Mary.
In addition to these plots, Mr. Richardson mentioned that field days would be held to educate groups of farmers on the proper reaping and curing of pimento berries, better cultural practices and black ants control.
He further indicated that the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Export Division, was seeking to guarantee a high standard in the quality of pimento through proper stacking, storing and cleaning methods and to promote the various known uses of pimento and identify new uses for market expansion.
