Hugh Martin
I HAVE, over the years, developed this habit of moving straight to the agricultural products section of each supermarket I enter before going anywhere else. This is because I love my fruits and I must have a piece of yam, some chochoes and a good supply of vegetables. During pear (read avocado) season, the attendants are probably "tired fi si mi face".
For the most part of last year, however, I embarked on a rather drastic change of diet that did not include any of those items, so my visits to the supermarket became unnecessary.
At the end of my self-imposed scourging, it took some time for me to resume my old habits, but since I was pleased with the results, I felt I ought to reward myself. It was, perhaps, on my second visit that I became aware of spectacular changes that had occurred in the fruit drinks section. Not only were there a greater variety of pure juices, but the various blends and combinations created a dazzling array of amazing colours that tantalised the taste buds. Every imaginable fruit grown locally was represented either as a single product or in combination with another. I was particularly struck by one labelled strawberry lychee and without any hesitation, picked it up for testing. It was a good pick.
MANY NEW BRANDS
The other thing that struck me was the number of new brands on display. Something clearly has happened in the last couple of years to have spurred such a rapid development in the fruit juice business. June plum juice suddenly took over the market in a manner that has only been rivalled by the 'cranberry initiative' - without the massive marketing blitz. Which leaves us to wonder where do all those fruits come from all of a sudden? Surely, we don't grow so much June plum, or lychee or even guava or passion fruit. Well, I found out soon enough - imported concentrates. Jamaica, the acknowledged world leader in the taste and quality of our coffee, pimento, cocoa, ginger, pepper, mango, has to import the juice of other countries because we don't produce enough?
I constantly get requests from readers of this column, both locally and overseas, for sugges-tions on investment opportunities in agriculture. It's not always possible for me to reply directly to each one. So I'll just make use of this medium to say to the two young persons who emailed me during April that you couldn't ask for a better opportunity than this; producing fruits for the fresh fruit market and for juices. I say plant fruit trees; acres and acres of fruit trees. June plum, lychee, mango, apple, guava, ackee, naseberry, cashew and pomegranate. The processors can't get enough and will be happy to enter into contracts with you for regular supplies. The expanding tourism sector will be demanding more and more fresh fruits and will pay good prices for them.
PRODUCTION OF FRUITS
In his Budget presentation earlier this month, Agriculture and Land Minister, Roger Clarke, announced a new initiative to help drive the production of fruits. This time there will be adequate funding as some $200 million has been allocated to implement it. Numerous nurseries in different parts of the country and differing ecological zones are being established to ensure year round production. In addition, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation will be assisting in the breeding and selection process in an attempt to attain product uniformity.
In these hot pre-summer days, it is hard to find anything more satisfying and refreshing than a tall cold glassful of one's favourite fruit juice. The processors are doing a good job in providing us with some, but the true Jamaican juice will be so much more appreciated.
Hugh Martin is a communication consultant and farm broadcaster. He may be reached at humar@cwjamaica.com.
