- JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke (right), takes a close look at an exhibit at GraceKennedy's stall on a tour of the Denbigh 2005 Agriculture and Industrial Show centre. Mr. Clarke is joined by Hon. D. Neletha Butterfield, Minister of Environment, Bermuda, JAS president, Senator Norman Grant, and Ms. Kelly McIntosh of GraceKennedy.
John Myers Jr., Staff Reporter
HEAVY RAINS, which significantly damaged the agricultural sector earlier this year, did little to affect the display of Jamaica's best as farmers turned out in large numbers at the 53rd staging of the annual Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show at the Denbigh show grounds in May Pen, Clarendon, yesterday.
From early, the show ground was abuzz with activities as farmers prepared their stalls and participating companies set up exhibitions under the watchful eyes of some patrons who came out early to view the displays.
Senator Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), the organisers of the Denbigh Show, said he was impressed with the support from the many farmers who, he said, were undergoing numerous hardships due to the adverse effects of hurricanes, drought and fire in the last year, as well as the turnout of patrons to the first day of the show.
"I'm overwhelmed, I'm ecstatic. After Hurricane Ivan, we suffered damage of $50 million and between (that time) and today, we have suffered several major disasters, including three hurricanes, floods, droughts," he said animatedly. "What I have seen here is a testimony that the spirit of the Jamaican farmer is of the most resilient among our professions in the country," he added.
The show also attracted a strong contingent of international visitors from Canada, the United States, Bermuda, St. Maarten and Trinidad and Tobago, who are here on a learning excursion. Chief among those visiting is Neletha Butterfield, Bermuda's Minister of Environment.
SHARING IDEAS
She told The Sunday Gleaner that, "Our main purpose of visiting is to share and collect ideas from Jamaica as to what they do with the Denbigh (Agricultural and Industrial) Show." She said this year was her second visit and she was impressed by what Jamaica had to offer.
Senator Grant said the presence of overseas guests was part of the JAS' effort to forge and develop stronger international marketing links for local farmers. He said there were close to 80 persons visiting from overseas and that the JAS was currently in discussion with a Canadian yam processing company to initiate a major yam export trade, as well as a company out of the U.S. that had expressed an interest in buying locally-produced herbs and spices.
The Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show ends tomorrow.
