THE EDITOR, Sir:
IT SEEMS seems ironic that the Letter of the Day (December 18) shepherds the potential lucrative nature of farming at the same time the poor farmers of the world are demonstrating about subsidies at the World Trade Organisation meeting in Hong Kong.
The farmers of Europe and North America, with a good standard of living, are often highly subsidised, while Australia farms spread a third the size of Jamaica. The only time farming will be lucrative for what is categorised a small practitioner in Jamaica is when he finds gold or oil under his land or farms green gold - drugs.
It is time to bury the myth of successful small farmers, or else show me one who a Minister of Agriculture would want his son to grow up to be.
I wonder how many Ministers of Agriculture's children are farmers, or small farmers?
I am, etc.,
DOREEN McGANN
doreenmcgann@netscape.ner
Orionvägen 20, Järfälla
Sweden
Via Go-Jamaica
