JMA Online News
JAS welcome changes for agricultural sector
Written by:
Date: 2008-04-22
MONTEGO BAY, St James - The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) has welcomed the raft of initiatives for the agricultural sector announced last week by Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton in his maiden Budget presentation.
"We welcome the Ministry of Agriculture's thrust to engage in a focus strategy that will lead to increased production, reduction of imports and enhanced efforts to achieve food security," JAS president Senator Norman Grant said.
He praised the government's endorsement of the 'Eat Jamaican Campaign', launched by the JAS more than two years ago and endorsed by the previous People's National Party's administration under the theme: "Grow what we eat and eat what we grow".
"This campaign has evolved into the 'Buy Jamaican' campaign by the Jamaica Manufacturers Association (JMA) and Brand Jamaica by the Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA)," Grant noted.
"With the continuous demand for commodities such as corn, rice and soya bean on the world market and the increasing of the cost of oil, the endorsement of the campaign by Cabinet is most welcome and sends the right signal," he added.
Grant said the JAS will collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture in the programmes announced for Labour Day, through the staging of agricultural shows, one in St Elizabeth on Labour Day, May 23, and the other the following day at the Jamaica College grounds.
The JAS, Grant said, also fully support the Ministry of Agriculture's thrust to have farmers increase the production of cassava for human consumption, animal feed and biofuel.
"We believe that the increase in production of this product will not only create benefits for the farmers, but also for the economy on a whole," he said. "To this extent, the JAS will be promoting this project among its membership and will ask the farmers to take advantage of this."
The JAS, Grant added, also welcomes:
* the announced additional financing, through the Development Bank of Jamaica for the agricultural sector at the rate of 7.8 per cent interest per annum;
* the move to intensify programmes such as school gardens, backyard gardening;
* efforts to restore the dairy industry;
* the fruit tree planting and land reform programme; and
* the re-examination and review of the government's policy for duty waivers.
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