George Henry, Gleaner Writer
SPALDINGS, Clarendon:
FARM STORES in sections of Clarendon have reported a significant decline, over recent months, in the farm supplies business.
Checks with a few farm stores in the parish revealed that, farmers were not purchasing important inputs to assist with the production of quality crops on their plantations, in comparison to former years, due to price increases.
Farm stores' operators say that farmers have been complaining about the high costs of inputs such as fertilisers, pesticides, insecticides, tools and important equipment such as pumps.
According to Avril Sinclair, who runs North Western Farm Supplies in Spaldings and Cave Valley, there has been a significant decline in the sale of agricultural supplies, since the announcement of price increases on several items earlier this year.
She told Farmers Weekly that most farmers have stopped purchasing in huge quantities as, according to them, the prices for important inputs has escalated and were getting out of their reach.
The price increases, she noted, has forced several small farmers to not only purchase less, but are forced to severely adjust the use of chemicals to incorrect proportions on their crops.
"What we find happening is that farmers in some cases are not even using the proper mix for the things they are purchasing. For example, in the use of fertilisers, some farmers are not purchasing the correct ones for the appropriate crops."
SULPHATE TYPE FERTILISER
The North Western Farm Supplies operator noted that there has been an increase in the purchasing of the Sulphate type fertiliser and, indications are, that farmers in the yam producing areas were using it on their crops, even though sulphate was not specifically for yams.
The farmers were doing this, she pointed out, because the price for that type of fertiliser is cheaper than the others. However, according to Mrs. Sinclair, sulphate used in that way is not the best thing to do as the farmers may not get the best yields from their crops, as it is not an all purpose fertiliser and it is mainly for the production of leaves.
Instead, she suggested that farmers purchase the 14-28-14-brand fertiliser, which is for crops such as yams.
"If things continue like this, there could be no agriculture in a little while. When you look on the price for a spray pump, which is now attracting GCT plus the 4 per cent that has to be paid in bringing them into the island, that is telling you how much more the poor farmers will have to pay to get a spray pump. So, the increase in the prices has severely affected the farm store business and agriculture on a whole," she added.
Mrs. Sinclair pointed out that with operators having so much overheads, including salaries for workers, high rental fees among other expenses to meet and the sales are not increasing, very soon many would have to close their doors.
Similar sentiments were shared by Paul Spencer of May Pen Agricultural Supplies in the Clarendon capital.
According to Mr. Spencer there has been a noticeably decline in the farm supplies business over recent months. This he told Farmers Weekly could be attributed to the number of imported food items, which has forced local farmers to be scaling down their production.
"When you look at things like carrots, Irish potatoes and other crops that are grown here and persons are importing the same crops, it is no wonder why business is so bad. Because the things to assist in their production are not being purchased," said Mr. Spencer.
He pointed out that the Jamaican farmer was no longer producing as in former years, due to the overseas competition, which is putting the Jamaican agricultural sector in turmoil.
