Citrus growers are benefiting from the growth of certified plants under the Citrus Re-planting Programme, aimed at assisting farmers to combat the citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV). The first phase of the programme, which is scheduled to be completed in 2006, is intended to re-plant 3000 hectares over a five-year period.- Contributed JAMAICAN CITRUS farmers are finding it easier to resuscitate the citrus industry, as a result of increased access to certified citrus plants for re-planting, under the citrus Re-planting Programme.
Dr. Percy Miller, Secretary/ Manager of the Citrus Growers' Association (CGA) told JIS News that citrus growers have purchased over 34,000 certified plants from the Association's plant nursery, since it began operation in January of 2000. "We currently have over 60,000 plants in our nurseries at varying stages of growth," he said.
"The nursery was established through the programme, to provide a source of certified plantting material to farmers at the lowest possible cost," he noted. The nursery is located at the Association's headquarters in Bog Walk, St. Catherine. It is one of eight citrus nurseries that are certified.
Pointing out that approximately $10.5 million had been spent so far in operating the nursery and screen house facilities, the Secretary/Manager said the target for re-planting under the project for 2001, was to re-establish 344 hectares of citrus, which would require the planting of 141,215 certified plants.
Outlining the need for the programme, Dr. Miller noted the threat of the Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) to the citrus industry. He explained that in the past over 95 per cent of all citrus planted in Jamaica was grown from sour orange rootstock. "This rootstock is vulnerable to CTV because the virus causes a blockage in the vessels of the plant," he said. This blockage prevents nutrients from the leaves of the plant from reaching the roots, which die as a result.
Due to its vulnerability to CTV, he said sour orange was abandoned as a rootstock, in favour of three other rootstocks that were more resistant to the virus. These he said, were swingle citrumello, carrzo citrange and cleopatra mandarin. However, unlike sour orange, these alternative rootstocks require specific soil conditions, and therefore farmers had to be educated about the type of soil in which to grow them.
Pointing out that the rapid spread of the virus was due to the arrival in 1993 of the Brown Citrus Avid, the most efficient vector of CTV, he indicated that the most recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2000, had shown that the virus was not being spread in a uniformed manner. The survey demonstrated that in some areas of St. Catherine as much as 60 per cent of plants were affected, compared with other parishes such as St. Mary or parts of Clarendon, where there were incidents of eight to 12 per cent. "We are therefore still trying to determine what exactly is causing this unequal spread," he said.
The first phase of the programme is being implemented at an estimated cost of US$20 million. The Caribbean Develop-ment Bank (CDB) is providing a loan of US$10.5 million, while the Jamaican Government and the citrus farmer are supplying the rest of the money.
Mentioning that the long term goal was to re-plant the current 9,200 hectares of citrus islandwide, he stated that the first phase of the programme was intended to re-plant 3,000 hectares over a five-year period, which started at the beginning of 2001. The first phase is scheduled to be completed in 2006.
Pointing to the progress that has been made, Dr. Miller said that a Project Implementation Unit and a Steering Committee had been established at the Ministry of Agriculture in January, last year, to assist with the implementation of the programme.
He explained that the programme included an extension support component, which was intended to provide technical assistance to farmers in their re-planting activities. Dr. Miller said this assistance included advice on the spacing of plants to be grown, the use of fertiliser, the care of young citrus trees, and ensuring that the farm lands of loan applicants were suitable areas for growing citrus.
The CGA Secretary/Manager also mentioned that a chief extension officer, along with three other extension officers and five agricultural assistants were recruited to assist with the project. He said the team had been trained in citrus husbandry before being assigned to the different citrus growing parishes.
"Presently an extension officer and an agricultural assistant are located at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) offices in Port Maria in St. Mary; May Pen in Clarendon, and in Mandeville. The chief extension officer is located at the Jamaica Citrus Growers' Association's headquarters in Bog Walk, St. Catherine," he said.
In addition to the Citrus Tristeza Virus, Dr. Miller noted that citrus farmers were faced with the challenges of globalisation and liberalisation. Stressing that liberalisation could result in the importation of cheaper citrus, he said this meant that the country had to become more competitive so as to maintain the current local consumption of 85 per cent of the citrus produced locally. "Anything that challenges this control of the local market is a challenge to the industry. Our focus now is therefore to become more competitive," he said.
Dr. Miller, pointing to other opportunities for the further development of the industry, said that Jamaica traditionally produced a number of premium grade agricultural products. These include citrus types such as the ortanique a trademark owned by the Association; and ugli, one of the highest priced fresh fruits on the market. "We stand to gain by improving and promoting these products," he stressed.
The CTV has been suspected to be in existence in Jamaica since the 1950s. However, the first positive identification of the virus was in 1992.
