Brahman cows
Claude Wilson
, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
AN ANALYSIS of the farming sub-sectors indicates that 2001 was not the best year for Jamaica's agriculture. Constant media reports of production decline, fall in export earnings, crop disease outbreaks, the scare of Mad Cow and Foot-and-Mouth diseases, coupled with the consequences of the 1999 drought and the devastating October floods rains highlighted a sector believed, for many years, to be in decline. Yet, there were numerous positive signs, specifically some technical and financial injections, that should, in the near future, remedy the livestock and crop production industries and reverse the negative trend of general agriculture.
Today Farmers Weekly takes a month by month look back at some of the positive headline stories carried on the page in 2001.
JANUARY
MINISTRY LAUNCHES
PLANTAIN PROGRAMME
The Ministry of Agriculture has embarked on a programme to increase the production of plantains for export and local consumption. "We are going to grow plantains in the kind of way that we ought to grow bananas," says Agriculture Minister, Roger Clarke.
FEBRUARY
FARMERS GET NEW
INFORMATION CENTRE
A new information centre for farmers has been set up along the south coast to provide support services for members of the Manchester and St. Elizabeth Vegetable Growers Association. Called the Flagaman Agricultural Information Centre, and located at the Flagaman Basic School, in south St. Elizabeth, the facility will provide information on what, when and how to plant various crops, the use of pesticides and fertilisers, as well as post harvesting technology. Jamaica agri exports more acceptable chief plant quarantine inspector in the Ministry of Agriculture, Carol Thomas, is reporting a decline in the rejection rate of most agricultural exports. She attributes it to the increased vigilance of plant quarantine officers stationed at clearance areas at the Agricultural Marketing Corporation (AMC) complex in Kingston, the Norman Manley and Sangster International airports.
MARCH
SCREWWORM SUCCESS
The two-year-old National Screwworm Eradication programme (NSEP) being conducted by the Veterinary Services Division (VSD) of the Ministry of Agriculture is reporting substantial reduction in the incidence of screwworm infestation.
APRIL
90 JAMAICAN BRAHMAN
CATTLE APPRAISED
Ninety graded polled Jamaica Brahman beef cattle were appraised at the Montpelier Agriculture Research Station in St. James. This addition brings to over 17,000 the number of Jamaican Brahman registered in the national herd book.
MAY
JAMAICA GETS THUMBS UP
AT US COFFEE EXHIBIT
The sophisticated Jamaican booth at the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Annual Trade Show and Conference held in South Beach, Miami, featuring the world-renowned Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, received rave compliments by visitors. "Without a doubt one of the most attractive producing country pavilions at this year's show", says one observer.
$2M GINGER EXPANSION
PROJECT FOR ST. THOMAS
A $2 million ginger expansion project, part of a programme by the Government to address the ginger rhizome rot, is being implemented in Johnson Mountain, Bowden Pen and Wilmington in St. Thomas.
JUNE
FRUIT FLY NOT IN THE ISLAND
A nationwide surveillance programme to find the Mediterranean Fruit Fly has found no evidence of the insect on the island. The programme began about three months ago. Senior Plant Protection Specialist at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Phillip Chung, said that indications were that the insect was probably not on the island.
FRUIT PROCESSOR READY TO ROLL OUT
Fruit farmers should soon have a ready market for their produce as the Home Economics and Social Services Division of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) rolls out its $2.5 million mobile fruit-processing vehicle.
JULY
US$106M BEING SPENT TO CREATE 51 IRRIGATION PROJECTS
The Government, in an effort to boost agricultural production, will be spending some US$106 million to create about 51 irrigation projects nationwide. The projects are part of the National Irrigation Commission's (NIC) plan to provide an efficient, cost-effective and sustainable irrigation service in support of the agricultural sector by 2005.
AUGUST
GOV'T TO PUT BRAKES ON
AGRI IMPORTS
The calls to Government to curtail the flood of agriculture produce and safeguard the livelihood of thousands of local farmers have pushed Government to consider legislation that will temporary limit the importation of certain agriculture produce.
Such legislation, according to Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke, would "protect certain industries or enterprises that are threatened with extinction from unfair trading practices."
SEPTEMBER
NEW RINGSPOT RESISTANT
PAPAYA DEVELOPED
A Ringspot resistant variety of Transgenic papaya has been successfully developed which should allow papaya growers to once again be able to make inroads into lucrative overseas markets for the fruit.
SCREWWORM PROGRAMME
GETS BOOST
The National Screwworm Eradication Programme (NSEP) received well-needed material support valued at US$2.5 million to assist in the ongoing campaign to eradicate the pest from the island.
OCTOBER
RURAL WOMEN VENTURE
INTO CHICKEN REARING
A number of rural-based women are finding a new way to generate or supplement their incomes while they significantly contribute to the development of their communities. They are single, unemployed mothers in the community of Mount Providence in the hills of northern Clarendon who have join the ranks of the self-employed and are making valuable contributions through chicken rearing.
NOVEMBER
$10M SUB-PROJECT
TO HELP COFFEE FARMERS
Eastern Jamaica Agricultural Support Project (EJASP) has approved a $10 million to rehabilitate 100 hectares of coffee farms over a two-year period to the benefit 500 farmers in the Blue Mountain coffee growing areas of Portland.
YOUTH SUPPORT LIVESTOCK SHOW
Young people turned out in their numbers the sixth staging of the Minard Livestock Show and Beef Festival in Browns Town, St. Ann. This was in keeping with one of the objectives of the Festival to develop in livestock farming, especially among youngsters for who a large part of the events is geared.
Yanique Lewis, fifth form student of Westwood High School was crowned Miss Minard Farm Queen, capturing the Jamaica Dairy Farmers Federation's scholarship valued at $30,000/year tenable at the College of Agriculture, Science & Education (CASE).
DECEMBER
MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR
PIMENTO REHAB IN PROGRESS
The Ministry of Agriculture has implemented a Pimento Rehabilitation Programme to increase the production of pimento berries. The three-year programme, which started in June of this year, is estimated to cost $129 million.
REAPING INCENTIVE
FOR COCOA FARMERS
The Minister of Agriculture Roger Clarke has announced that cocoa farmers will receive by December 20, 2001 a reaping incentive for end of the 2000/2001 cocoa season. The final payment for the 2000/01 season will attract new price of $70 per box. CARICOM man gets hemispheric vote.
YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS
Send your contributions, agricultural related questions and information, and general notices of events happening in agriculture to the Farmers Weekly, c/o Western Bureau, 54 Union Street, Montego Bay, or fax 952-3828 or e-mail mbyadm@infochan.com.
