The Editor, Sir:

After reading Dr. John Rapley's article on 'Oil and Farming' in The Gleaner, August 23, the following sentence sums it up for me, "It may be that if Jamaican farming is to survive and prosper, it will have to revamp itself in a way that makes it more resilient in the face of storms and better able to take advantage of export markets."

On a national level, we are using the most of the land for a one year crop - sugar cane. We know the social consequences of this legacy with part-time employment for most of its workers and its contribution to sudden increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere after burning.

Time to mature

Bananas suffer the double disadvantage of one year to maturity and susceptibility to hurricanes, while yam production is also a one-year operation with yam vines subject to being blown down. Time of planting of banana and yam can be staggered to provide monthly income, but land preparation and growing period are still over nine months.

The farmers of St. Elizabeth have chosen some short-term crops and like temperate climate farmers, are able to make some quick returns. (As long as they don't put all their money on Irish potatoes which, the Irish will warn you, can lead to starvation).

In Porus, we do not need another fruit stall, rum bar or sand truck. We need processing plants and packing houses for exporting the luscious starapples, naseberries, avocadoes, pineapples, mangoes, pre-cooked frozen ackee, chutneys and jams.

While the government is not suitable to become the purchasing agent, it has to facilitate processing and export. Markets should be identified in Canada, U.S.A., United Kingdom and Europe preferably with West Indian green grocers, who know what a starapple, naseberry, and passionfruit is.

We should have learnt enough from the Agricultural Marketing Corporation of the '70s and Spring Plains of the '80s. The Government has to be active in certifying exporters, organic farmers, certification of drug-free shipments and cargo space.

Marketing crops

Locally, we need a wholesale farmers' market for crops and livestock in the mid-island where purchasers from Kingston can have an easy drive to purchase and sellers from western parishes would have to go no farther than Clarendon if they do not have special orders in Kingston.

There is also need for a purchasing site/recycling plant for items such as newsprint, cardboard, plastic bottles and lead batteries. No one is going to tell me to give away my used batteries when metal is at an all-time high.

Why can't we make flower pots or road hazard markers from recycled plastic? This will put some money in poor people's pockets and help the environment. Markets can be developed for fever grass and pimento leaf oils to expand production possibilities.

I am, etc.,

SUNDAY MOSES

Windsor Lodge

Williamsfield P.O.