A creative display of fruits and vegetables which were at the annual Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show held from August 5-7 in Denbigh, Clarendon. - contributed

The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) has reported increased profits from the staging of this year's Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show, the island's premier agricultural event.

Senator Norman Grant, president of the JAS, told Farmers Weekly that the three-day show, which was held from August 5-7 in Denbigh, Clarendon, grossed more than $6 million in profits.

More than 2004

"The profits that we made for Denbigh (this year) were more than the profits we made for the biggest year that we had in 2004 just before (Hurricane) Ivan when we made a profit of $6 million," he said in an interview.

The JAS president did not say how much more was made from the show, as he said the financial statements for the show were still being examined by the auditors. He said the full details would be disclosed at a press conference in three weeks.

Senator Grant noted that the team, which would be managing the JAS's billion-dollar theme park development plan for the Denbigh Showgrounds, as well as new plans for the annual show, would also be revealed at the press conference.

Under the JAS's development plan, the Denbigh showgrounds would be transformed into an agricultural theme park as part of a broader objective to link the country's agricultural sector with tourism.

Structured disclosure

"It is not that we don't have anything to say. It is that we are going to be rolling out what we have to say in a structured way," he said in response to questions as to the reason for the delay in announcing the JAS's assessment of this year's show.

He said that more than 80,000 patrons attended the show, which coincided with the annual Independence celebrations on August 6.