A SUM of $13.9 million has been allotted to the Citrus Replanting Project in the 2006/07 budgetary estimates. This is to prevent a further decline in the industry, which is threatened by the citrus Tristeza virus.
The money will go towards replanting 1,556 hectares of groves in five years; sensitise the public on the threat of the citrus Tristeza virus, and increase the technical capabilities of the research staff to continually establish, monitor and evaluate technologies.
Funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Jamaica, the project is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Land. So far the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and the extension and certification services have been put into full operation. Eighty-nine farmlands have been certified; 5,695 farm visits, 62 field days for extension services and monitoring of production have been conducted.
A total of 499,614 certified plants have been moved from 20 registered nurseries.
APPROVED LOANS
Forty-five loans totalling $142.879 million were approved with a total of $106.88 million disbursed.
For the 2006/07 fiscal year, the PIU will facilitate monthly steering committee meetings, produce annual work plans and budget of the project, as well as, quarterly reports. They will also prepare and submit to the CDB claims and reimbursements against the grant and loan.
In addition, consultants will provide research services in the area of plant pathology and agronomy, as well as analyse survey and experimental data of soil and leaf nutrient levels.
