Adrian Frater, News Editor
Farmer DeLa Haye gathers crops from his farm in Bushy Park, St. Catherine, recently. Local cultivators are grappling to retain a presence in the marketplace as ever-increasing food imports, buttressed by subsidies, continue to cut into profits. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
WESTERN BUREAU:
BEFORE THE liberalisation of the import market, wheat, rice, corn and soybean accounted for a large portion of imports. But as the market expanded, fruits, vegetables and meats now do-minate imported cargo, increasing the pressure on already struggling local farmers.
"Importers are bringing in the more popular foods and vegetables," Glendon Harris, president of the western branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, said. "Because these foods, especially those from the United States, benefit from Government subsidies and mechanised farming, they are able to sell them at a cheaper price."
In addition to the cheaper prices, Mr. Harris argued that because of the attractiveness of imported foods, which are oftentimes waxed and polished, local consumers sometimes believe they are superior and have longer shelf life.
ILLEGAL IMPORT MARKET
Some of the imported food items providing strong competition to local farmers, Mr. Harris, said include tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, red peas, broccoli, celery, cauliflower, grapes, apples, mutton and meats.
But legitimate importers are not the only ones offering competition to local farmers. Sources in the agricultural sector revealed that there is also a booming illegal import market, which is also dumping foreign goods on the local market.
Besides the debilitating impact of imports, there is a serious health risk lurking in the shadows. According to Dr. Rao Pennado, chief public health inspector in western Jamaica, while food items that come through the official channel are checked and discarded if found to be contaminated, those that come in illegally are potentially dangerous since they undergo no such scrutiny.
"In a time when there is so much concern about mad cow disease, bird flu, salmonella and other diseases, consuming meat, poultry, eggs and other food items that are not examined and cleared by the health authorities is quite risky and dangerous," said Dr. Pennado.
NO SURRENDER
While noting that there is no way of quantifying illegal imports coming into Jamaica, Agriculture and Land Minister Roger Clarke said Government was exploring ways to address the problem.
"We are aware of the fact that it is happening and we intend to do something about it," said Minister Clarke. "We are now working to find ways to close the loopholes."
Though the cost of domestic imports has nearly doubled since liberalisation, the Government
is not about to surrender the market to importers. In addition to its ambitious 'Eat Jamaican Campaign', Mr. Clarke said measures were also being introduced to improve the competitiveness of local farmers.
We are getting a lot of competition in vegetables, poultry and eggs, especially liquefied eggs," said Minister Clarke, in an interview with The Gleaner. "We are doing what we can to help and encourage our farmers. Currently, we are putting up our own liquefied egg plant so we will soon be in a position to reclaim that market."
The Agriculture and Land Minister also noted that efforts were being made to improve the condition of local agriculture through improved irrigation techniques in drought-prone areas, the introduction of new technology and the creation of new local markets, especially in the tourist sector.
STEP UP TO THE PLATE
"We will be working quite closely with the local hotel sector to create new market opportunities for our local farmers," said Minister Clarke. "However, our farmers must realise that they will have to step up to the plate in terms of meeting the demands of the sector."
A liaison between the hotel sector, and local farmers is nothing new as the Sandals hotel chain, with technical support from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, has had an alliance with the farmers in Mafoota, St. James, since 1994.
In explaining the relationship between Sandals and the Mafoota farmers at a recent Gleaner Editors' Forum, Horace Peterkin, general manager of Sandals Montego Bay, said the hotel chain has been providing farmers with seeds for growing exotic fruits and vegetables, which they in turn grow and sell to the hotel with the security of a guaranteed market.
"It is not always been easy, but it has been working," said Mr. Peterkin, who is also president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association. "This programme could be a tremendous boost to the local agriculture if it could be duplicated in other parts of the island."
