By Leslie McLean, Gleaner WriterCLAREMONT, St. Ann:
ALOUN ASSAMBA, Minister of Industry and Tourism and Member of Parliament for St. Ann southeast, has promised to obtain the Reynolds playfield from Jamaica Bauxite Mining Ltd., to be used as a permanent showground for the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) in the parish.
The first agricultural show is slated for December 2004.
The Tourism Minister was speaking at the annual general meeting of the St. Ann Association of Branch Societies at the Brown's Town Anglican Church Hall on Wednesday.
Minister Assamba also promised to support the St. Ann Farm Queen competition this year and added, "I don't promise what I can't fulfil and I have to have the money in hand first."
The Minister congratulated the JAS and the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association for coming together to help boost the agricultural sector. She stressed the importance of buying Jamaican food to build the Jamaican economy.
She said: "I buy Jamaican fruits and vegetables although sometimes they are more expensive."
Touching on foreign carrots, she said they were nice, clean and lovely but not as long lasting as the Jamaican carrots. She added, "Most of us grow food with minimal use of additives to the soil, which is closer to organic and charge big money for it. I implore the JAS to go that route."
Ms. Assamba thanked the SuperClubs chain for purchasing vegetables from farmers and revealed that her Ministry was having discussions with cruise shippers to have them buy provisions for ships, but "we have to provide them with a certain volume."
