THE EXPORT division of the Ministry of Agriculture is to spend $39.6 million under a major pimento resuscitation and replanting programme to reverse the effects of Hurricane Ivan on the industry.
The initiative, which is still in its implementation phase, is aimed at resuscitating more than 163,000 trees across the island over a six-month period, as well as to educate farmers on proper agronomic practices, how to collect essential statistics on the industry; increase annual production to approximately 2,000 tonnes, and boost foreign exchange earnings in the shortest possible time.
The Agriculture Ministry will provide seedlings to pimento growers free of cost and will pay out $150 for every damaged tree resuscitated. However, payouts will not exceed $4,350 per acre and $45,000 per property.
The passage of the hurricane last September resulted in 640 tonnes of pimento, valued at $143.36 million, being lost. Jamaica's pimento industry earns some US$5 million annually from export sales.
Pimento farmers must, however, be registered by completing a claim and inspection request form in order to benefit under the programme, which is scheduled to start by March.
Forms can be collected and returned to the export division of the Ministry of Agriculture. Forms may also be collected from and submitted to pimento buying agents and field assessors, or the nearest parish office of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority or the Jamaica Agricultural Society. The cut-off date for registration is January 31.
Thirty assessors have been assigned and six zone supervisors have been contracted to work with pimento farmers across the island starting next month.
