Richard Morais, Gleaner Writer
FILE - Agriculture Minister, Roger Clarke.
WESTERN BUREAU:
AGRICULTURE MINISTER Roger Clarke has announced that domestic crop production has been restored to about 80 per cent following the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan.
Minister Clarke, who was addressing patrons at the annual Hague Agricultural Show in Trelawny on Ash Wednesday, said the recovery was due in large part to the assistance from local and international agencies which, he said, amounted to just under $750 million.
In outlining the contributions received, the agriculture minister said the Office of National Reconstruction (ONR) had donated $200 million, the European Union's (EU) Banana Support Project donating $288 million to the banana industry, the Export Division giving $39.6 million for the rehabilitation of the pimento industry and specially targeted programmes donating $200 million to goat rearing, honey and tree crop productions as well as aquaculture, hydroponics and organic farming.
In addressing the problem of a glut in some agricultural produce, Senator Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), said $50 million has been earmarked through the Central Market System (CMS), to address the problem. He noted at the event that the JAS had already bought 20,000 lb of tomatoes from farmers, with further plans to purchase more.
The Hague Agricultural Show, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, ran for two days and culminated on Ash Wednesday.
