grow agriculture, grow jamaica

1 ‘GROW AGRICULTURE… GROW JAMAICA’

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SSaalluuttaattiioonnss ……………………………………………………………………….. 22

UUppddaattee …………………………………………………………………………… 33

Irish Potato ……………………………………………………………………… 3

Ginger/Turmeric …………………………………………………………………. 3

Import/Export Performance …………………………………………………… 4

Irrigation ………………………………………………………………………… 5

Legislation ………………………………………………………………………. 6

Sugar …………………………………………………………………………….. 6

Policies ………………………………………………………………………….... 8

Economic Environment ………………………………………………………... 8

TTaarrggeettss ffoorr GGrroowwtthh ……………………………………………………………… 99

Agro-Parks ………………………………………………………………………. 9

Progress to Date ……………………………………………………………… 10

Small Ruminants ………………………………………………………………. 12

Pigs ……………………………………………………………………………... 12

Tubers …………………………………………………………………………... 12

Youth in Agriculture …………………………………………………………... 13

School Feeding Programme ………………………………………………… 13

TTrraaddiittiioonnaall SSuubb--SSeeccttoorrss ………………………………………………………. 1133

Sugar ……………………………………………………………………………. 13

Cocoa ………………………………………………………………………….. 14

Coffee ………………………………………………………………………….. 14

Banana …………………………………………………………………………. 15

Cattle ……………………………………………………………………………. 15

EExxpplloorriinngg NNeeww IInndduussttrriieess …………………………………………………….. 1166

FFiisshheerriieess ………………………………………………………………………... 1166

EExxtteennssiioonn SSeerrvviicceess ……………………………………………………………. 1177

EEnnaabblliinngg EEnnvviirroonnmmeenntt ………………………………………………………… 1188

FFoooodd HHeeaalltthh aanndd SSaaffeettyy ………………………………………………………. 1199

RReessttrruuccttuurriinngg IInniittiiaattiivveess ………………………………………………………. 1199

RReesseeaarrcchh aanndd DDeevveellooppmmeenntt ………………………………………………….. 2200

FFooccuuss oonn SSooiill ………………………………………………………………….. 2211

PPrraaeeddiiaall LLaarrcceennyy aanndd FFaarrmm TThheefftt ……………………………………………. 2211

CCoonncclluussiioonn …………………………………………………………………….. 2222

PPaaggee

2‘GROW AGRICULTURE… GROW JAMAICA’

SALUTATIONS

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today, to stand again in this Honourable House and toaccount in this Debate, to the people of Jamaica for my stewardship of the Ministryof Agriculture & Fisheries.

As I do so, I greet and acknowledge the support of all stakeholders in this vital sector of the economy.

Let me specially acknowledge:

• My colleague Ministers and fellow Parliamentarians• The staff at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries• Our local and international partners• Farmers’ organisations• My constituents • And, by no means least, my family.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today a happy man - giving God thanks for the rains that have come. Thedrought is broken. It is the season for planting and a time for growth. Isn’t this a blessed country? Wethank God for his abundant blessings and we stand ready to grasp every opportunity to grow agri-culture and so to play our part in growing Jamaica. II aamm ppaassssiioonnaatteellyy ccoommmmiitttteedd ttoo tthhee ggrroowwtthh aannddddeevveellooppmmeenntt ooff tthhiiss nnaattiioonn.. II bbeelliieevvee tthhaatt iiff wwee ccoonnttiinnuuee ttoo ggrrooww AAggrriiccuullttuurree,, wwee wwiillll ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa..

As a servant of the people, I am accountable to the people of this country, and I therefore intendto begin my presentation with an account of my stewardship over the last 16 months.

Mr. Speaker, I would not characterize myself as a thin-skinned person, but I believe I have anobligation to respond to my critics. The truth is that, save and except the Prime Minister, noother Minister has endured in the last 16 months the level of sustained criticism that I have. Thishas ranged from my being labelled old and irrelevant, to having abandoned programmes set upby the previous administration and removing public servants from office. I do not intend todescend into a quarrel; I will just put my record on the table and let the people of Jamaica judge.

I came to the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries on the afternoon of January 6, 2012. I came alone,without a battery of consultants and relying solely on the expertise and collective wisdom of theexisting cadre of employees. I certainly have not removed anyone. Some, however, who have notdemonstrated the competence and the commitment to work in support of the objectives we haveset, have been separated by their respective Boards and with due process. Others have left voluntarilyto pursue their personal interests. After 16 months, I still do not have one single consultant, or onesingle advisor.

Mr. Speaker, while as a Government we listen to the suggestions and proposals of all, I am constrainedto point out that this Government was elected on the basis of clear manifesto commitments.I have enthusiastically embraced any suggestion and any programme initiated by the formerregime that makes sense and that enures to the development of the sector. However, I am con-tinually rebuked for not having continued programmes started by the previous administration.

I was elected with a mandate and with a programme for the development of the sector, and I willexecute that programme despite the criticism. I will, and I have in fact, continued any programme thatI inherited which makes sense.


WWhhaatt aarree tthhee ffaaccttss??

UPDATE

Irish Potato

Mr. Speaker, this country consumes some 15 million kilograms (33 million pounds) of table (Irish)potato per annum. Although we have the capacity to produce all of this locally, we have reliedheavily on imports over the years. In 2007, we produced only 42% of our consumption. Thiswent down to 32% in 2008. I commend the former Administration for having taken the initiative toreverse this trend by implementing a special programme to boost Irish potato production in 2009.This resulted in the contribution of local production moving from 51% in 2009 to 76% in 2011.

Mr. Speaker, this programme made every sense to me when I assumed office. Since then, I haveprovided critical extension support to Irish potato farmers and funding support to RADA to par-ticipate in the purchasing and storage of the excess production at the peak of the crop. Thisresulted in our self-sufficiency moving up to 79% in 2012. Towards the end of 2012, I personallymet with importers of Irish potato as well as the farmers in the Guy’s Hill area in a deliberateattempt to sustain or even exceed the production levels. This was against the background ofHurricane Sandy in October and the accompanying rainfall that restricted the planting season.Given the impact of the hurricane and the accompanying rainfall, the Ministry provided $10 millionto the Guy’s Hill area farmers to acquire inputs. A further $50 million was also allocated to thefarmers in the Christiana area. Therefore, for 2013 we are projecting about the same level of pro-duction despite the hurricane and prolonged rains that affected Guy’s Hill and the prevailingdrought impacting the Christiana area.

WWhheerree tthheenn,, MMrr.. SSppeeaakkeerr iiss tthhee eevviiddeennccee ooff aabbaannddoonnmmeenntt??

Ginger/Turmeric

Mr. Speaker, when I came to the Ministry I heard talks of accelerating ginger and turmericproduction, against the background of the undisputed high quality of Jamaica’s ginger andturmeric. In fact, our manifesto identified this sector as a strategic area of focus. Therefore whenI came I sought immediately to put plansin place to accelerate production. Weestablished some 171 hectares (422 acres)of production yielding 4,600 tonnes ofginger, and 111 hectares (275 acres) ofturmeric yielding 900 tonnes. This wassupported by J$39 million from theMinistry to provide disease-free plantingmaterials and other critical inputs to farmers.

Mr. Speaker, not only have we embracedthe increased production of ginger andturmeric, but indeed in this financial year,we will put in an additional 202 hectares(500 acres) under our programme, in addition

TThhee ccoonntteenntt ooff ccuurrccuummiinn iinn JJaammaaiiccaann ttuurrmmeerriicc iiss oovveerr tthhrreeeettiimmeess tthhaatt ccoonnttaaiinneedd iinn iimmppoorrtteedd ttuurrmmeerriicc.. TThhiiss eesssseennttiiaalliinnggrreeddiieenntt hhaass mmaannyy ccaanncceerr--ffiigghhttiinngg pprrooppeerrttiieess aammoonngg ootthheerrhheeaalltthh bbeenneeffiittss..


to some 81 hectares (200 acres) to be undertaken by other farmers independently. We will alsoestablish two hectares (five acres) of shade-houses to produce some 193 tonnes of disease-freeginger planting material to ensure continued expansion into next year.

MMrr.. SSppeeaakkeerr,, wwhheerree iiss tthhee aabbaannddoonnmmeenntt??

Import/Export Performance

Mr. Speaker, one of the criticisms levied at me is the “flooding” of the country with imports.

WWhhaatt aarree tthhee ffaaccttss??

Mr. Speaker, last year the import bill moved to US$959 million from US$938 million in 2011, rep-resenting a 2% increase. This marginal increase in value is clearly attributable to increases in theprices of imported food due to increased world food prices, and particularly the price of cerealswhich constitute the bulk of our imports. It should be noted that some of the corn imported isused to manufacture animal feed which is then exported throughout the Caribbean. Animal feedexports, for instance, increased from 13.3 million kg in 2011 to 20.1 million kg in 2012.

The fact is that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports a seven percent increase inthe average world price of cereals last year. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, if one examines Jamaica’s foodimport bill without including cereals, then one would realise that there was a significant declinein other food imports.

We recorded declining import figures for a number of critical imported items; for example,imports of Irish potato decreased in both volume and value by 9.9 % and 15.1% respectively.The same is true for pork, cucumber, cabbage, cantaloupe, sweet pepper, carrots, onion, water-melon and lettuce.

IImmppoorrttss ffoorr SSeelleecctt AAggrriiccuullttuurraall IItteemmss 22001111 -- 22001122

PPrroodduuccttiioonn ((kkgg))IItteemm 22001111 22001122 %% CChhaannggee

Irish Potato 4,345,109 3,913,798 -9.9%Pork 1,994,416 1,248,655 -37.4Tomato 17,933 18,414 2.7Cucumber 1,769 541 -69.4Cabbage 18,229 16,538 -9.3Cantaloupe 156,941 129,316 -17.6Sweet Pepper 61,517 43,984 -28.5Carrot 4,839 2,832 -41.5Watermelon 2,779 2,210 -20.5Cauliflower 37,886 38,144 0.7Celery 61,200 63,031 3

Lettuce (Iceberg) 25,555 8,241 -67.8

Source: Statistical Institute of Jamaica


Mr. Speaker, while imports increased marginally in value, food exports moved up from US$224million in 2011 to US$274 million last year. That is an increase of 22.3%.

Mr. Speaker, we are obviously moving in the right direction, ttoo ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa bbyy ggrroowwiinngg aaggrriiccuullttuurree..

Mr. Speaker, correspondingly, the local production of those very items increased. For instance,in the ten-year period 2003 – 2012 the following products attained their highest levels ofproduction: cucumber, pak choi, pumpkin, escallion, ginger, onion, hot pepper, sweet pepper,cantaloupe, watermelon, corn, Irish potato, and sweet potato.

I would wish to highlight Mr. Speaker, in particular, the export of such food items as sweet potato,yams, pumpkin, ackee, meat products, animal feed, paw-paw and sauces. The export value ofpaw-paw and sauces, for instance, increased by more than 100% during 2011-2013. Under myleadership, I am determined that this trend will continue.

Irrigation

Mr. Speaker, the National Irrigation Development Programme (NIDP) was formulated under ourwatch in 1998. We oversaw the implementation of the first three projects under that programmeto bring irrigation water for the first time to the Pedro Plains in 2007 at a cost of US$12 million.We negotiated, in our previous term, a loan of US$21.06 million from the IDB to implement thesecond phase of the NIDP, consisting of projects in Colbeck, New Forest/Duff House and Yallahs.

When I left office, these projects were being implemented. I came back to find the entire imple-mentation riddled with a myriad of problems. We have sorted out those problems and delivered inMarch, a brand new system in New Forest/ Duff House at a cost of over $500 million. As wespeak, production is booming, and this area will be the site of one of our agro-parks to which Iwill speak later.

PPrroodduuccttiioonn ffoorr SSeelleecctteedd CCrrooppss 22000033 vvss.. 22001122

PPrroodduuccttiioonn ((kkgg))IItteemm 22000033 22001122 %% CChhaannggeeCucumber 16,134,000 16,617,400 3

Pak Choi 7,022,000 12,453,800 77.4Pumpkin 39,103,000 52,170,300 33.4Escallion 8,648,000 14,142,400 63.5Ginger 402,000 1,081,600 169.1Onion 602,000 1,088,200 80.8Hot Pepper 5,595,000 14,263,100 154.9Sweet Pepper 9,226,000 15,154,500 64.3Cantaloupe 0 3,243,300 100Watermelon 22,799,000 15,568,800 -31.7Corn 2,029,000 2,821,200 39Irish Potato 6,710,000 15,395,800 129.4Sweet Potato 23,595,000 42,164,700 78.7

Source: Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries


In a few weeks the Honourable Prime Minister and I will journey to Yallahs to commission intooperation that scheme, completed at a cost of $216 million. Yallahs will also be the site of anotheragro-park.

As we speak, the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) is also rehabilitating 8,000 metres ofirrigation pipelines in the Vernamfield area to support the resurgence of cane growing. This willcost J$65.7 million. Additionally, the NIC lined some 800 metres of irrigation canals in Rhymesburyto reduce transmission losses.

Legislation

Mr. Speaker, in my 16 months, I have engaged this Honourable House in a very active way,tabling the following pieces of legislation:

• The Animals Diseases (Importation) Control (Amendment) Regulations, 2012• The Plants (Quarantine) (Wood Packaging in International Trade) Regulations, 2012• The Citrus Plant (Certification) (Amendment) Regulations, 2012• The Meat Products and Meat By-Products (Inspection and Export) (Prescribed Fees)

Regulations, 2012• The Fishing Industry (Special Fishery Conservation Area) Regulations, 2012. • Last of all, the Protection of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture Act,

Act 1 of 2013.

Sugar

Mr. Speaker, in the area of sugartransformation the performance ofthe Ministry is simply phenomenal.Having roamed nearly all the capitalsof EU member states in 2005 tosecure some form of compensationfrom the EU, consequent on theirreducing the price of sugar by 36%,I returned to the Ministry in time tosee to the application of these fundsfor the social transformation of sugardependent areas. Since returning,we have obtained sub-divisionalapproval and commenced infrastruc-ture works on all seven barrack relo-cation projects in the parishes ofWestmorland, Trelawny, Clarendonand St. Thomas. These projects willculminate in the construction of some 400 housing units to accommodate over 800 people currentlyliving in degraded conditions in the barracks.

TThhiirrtteeeenn ssppoorrttiinngg ffaacciilliittiieess wwiillll bbee pprroovviiddeedd uunnddeerr tthhee ttrraannssffoorr--mmaattiioonn pprrooggrraammmmee ffoorr ssuuggaarr ddeeppeennddeenntt aarreeaass..

Not only have we commenced infrastructure works but, as we speak, the National ContractsCommission is considering bids from the Ministry in relation to construction of the housing unitsin Barham, Shrewsbury, and Masemure in Westmoreland and Steelfield in Trelawny. Tenders forhousing construction will shortly be invited for the remaining schemes. The residents of Barham,Shrewsbury, Masemure and Steelfield will occupy their homes before Christmas. When we wouldhave completed these 400 units, the Government would have spent nearly $2.4 billion in infra-structure and housing. Mr. Speaker, we are taking social transformation further. Last year weannounced the upgrading of 13 sporting facilities in sugar dependent areas at a cost of $213million. All of those projects are either completed or are in an advanced stage of completion.

Mr. Speaker, this year we will be doing an additional three in Croft’s Hill and Waterwell inClarendon and Knollis in St Catherine at a cost of approximately $55 million.

Mr. Speaker, we go further. Tenders are out for the rehabilitation of some 67 km of cane roadsin all sugar growing parishes at a cost of nearly $400 million. All of these roads will be completedin this financial year. We are also doing serious drainage work to prevent flooding inWestmoreland and St. Thomas. In Westmoreland we cleared some 39.78 km of drains at a costof $29 million and only last week Cabinet approved two contracts to clear some 42 km of drainsin the Plantain Gardens area of St. Thomas at a cost of approximately $90 million. These workswill not only address perennial flooding but will support the agro-park being established in the area.

Mr. Speaker, last year the Ministry spent another $150 million on a number of critical social projectsin sugar-dependent areas including the expansion of health facilities, schools and other socialinfrastructure. I will speak on the economic side of the sugar industry in a little while.


RReellooccaattiioonn ooff 3399 ffaammiilliieess ttoo SSppiiccyy HHiillll CCoommmmuunniittyy iinn TTrreellaawwnnyy:: MMiinniisstteerr CCllaarrkkee,, HHeeaadd ooff DDeelleeggaattiioonn ooff tthheeEEuurrooppeeaann UUnniioonn,, PPaaoollaa AAmmaaddeeii ((cceennttrree)) aanndd PPaattrriicckk AAttkkiinnssoonn,, AAttttoorrnneeyy GGeenneerraall,, MMPP bbrreeaakk ggrroouunndd..


Policies

Mr. Speaker, consistent with our manifesto commitment, the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisherieshas been very active in formulating critical policies to provide the framework for the developmentof the sector. The Cabinet of Jamaica, in February 2013, approved the National Food SafetyPolicy and Implementation Plan, which provides the framework for the installation of the requisitelegal institutional framework and infrastructure to secure public health through the delivery ofsafe food for both local consumption and export.

Just last week, the Cabinet approved the National Food and Nutrition Security Policy. Thisground-breaking policy will provide the framework within which Government will increase pro-duction of local foods, improve access to food by the most vulnerable and bolster the resilienceof food production systems against the background of climate change and frequent naturaldisasters. It is also intended to enhance the nutritional well-being of our people, particularly ourchildren. Mr. Speaker, the implementation of this policy will result in a healthy population, capableof effectively contributing to national and economic development. This policy will underpin ourefforts to reduce the food import bill even further and our main target is the School FeedingProgramme, which I will address later.

Economic Environment

Mr. Speaker, we cannot be unmindful of the context within which this presentation is being madetoday. In closing the Budget Debate last week, the Honourable Minister of Finance andPlanning announced the approval by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of a four yearExtended Fund Facility for this country. In the last few months there was a crescendo of calls foran IMF agreement, as if the agreement by itself would be a panacea. The truth is, the agreementportends challenging days ahead and will require tremendous discipline and sacrifice to pull thiscountry out of our current economic malaise. But Mr. Speaker, it is also a time of tremendousopportunity. Our high unsustainable food import bill provides a significant opportunity forimport substitution. The devaluation of the Jamaican Dollar need not be a death knell, butshould serve as an encouragement to export more. We can use expanded agricultural productionas a vehicle to address the whole matter of rural development. Therefore, for the Ministry ofAgriculture & Fisheries, and to paraphrase President Obama, “this crisis is too ‘serious’ towaste”.

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt in my mind that agriculture can make a significant contribution toreversing our economic fortunes. Over the last 20 years, the average annual growth rate of theagricultural sector was 6.0%, while the national economy over the same period had an averagegrowth rate of 0.6%. In fact, save and except for episodes of natural disasters, the agriculturalsector grows consistently.

‘GROW AGRICULTURE… GROW JAMAICA’

This sector must therefore be at the forefront of our economic recovery initiatives. No other sectorcan readily absorb the volume of low-skilled or unskilled individuals as the agricultural sector. Infact the statistics show that during the years 2008 and 2010 when there was serious fallout in thebauxite sector, employment in the agricultural sector increased by 5.8 %. The linkages betweenagriculture and manufacturing as well as tourism in turn cause investment in agriculture to havea high multiplier effect. This is particularly important in the rural areas, where the multiplier effectis even stronger, as increased income contributes to an increase in many other economic activities.With our hotel sector satisfying only approximately 30% of their food demand from local agricul-ture, and with manufacturing depending heavily on imported agricultural raw materials, facilitated bywaivers, the agricultural sector can, in fact, step up to make an even greater contribution. Mr.Speaker, it is in this spirit and with this optimism that I now turn to the critical and strategic pro-grammes that this Government will put in place to increase agricultural production.

WWee aarree ccoommmmiitttteedd ttoo ggrroowwiinngg aaggrriiccuullttuurree iinn oorrddeerr ttoo ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa..

TARGETS FOR GROWTH

Agro-Parks

Mr. Speaker, the Government intends to engage some 3,237 hectares (8,000 acres) of land inthe production of a number of critical crops within the framework of our agro-parks. These parksare situated in Plantain Gardens and Yallahs, St Thomas; Amity Hall and Hill Run, St. Catherine;Ebony Park and Spring Plain in Clarendon; New Forest/Duff House, St Elizabeth/Manchester;

9


Ettingdon, Trelawny and Meylersfield in Westmoreland. They are being developed through atri-partite partnership involving the Government, farmer/investors, and the private sector. TheGovernment will make lands available with the requisite infrastructure. Production on theselands will be targeted specifically at import substitution. These lands will be leased to farmer/investors who will be responsible for working capital and agricultural production. The privatesector will be responsible for providing markets; that is, farmers will sell to them on a contractualbasis and they, in turn, will market the goods to the hotels, agro-processors, export markets orretail outlets. In some instances the investor/farmer will market his or her own goods, but inevery instance what is being produced will be tied to a specific market.

Progress to date

WWhhaatt hhaass bbeeeenn ddoonnee ssoo ffaarr aanndd wwhhaatt aarree oouurr ttaarrggeettss??

A total of 48 hectares (120 acres) of lands have been identified for the agro-park in PlantainGardens. Farmers have been engaged through leases to produce ginger and onion on some23 hectares (50 acres) of those lands and land preparation has in fact commenced. The farmersare being provided with working capital in the amount of $40 million through a loan from theSt. Thomas Cooperative Credit Union Ltd.

Seeds have been procured onbehalf of the farmers and theRural Agricultural DevelopmentAuthority (RADA) and the NICare currently working with themto improve crop husbandry andto provide technical assistancewith the installation of on-farmirrigation. At the same time, theMinistry is in the process ofrehabilitating the existingirrigation system to supply theentire 48 hectares (120 acres)and main drains will be cleanedunder the project mentionedearlier. Proper access roads willalso be provided by theMinistry.

All the ginger cultivated will be purchased from the farmers by the Ministry’s Export Division. Animporter who currently trades in onions will purchase the onions produced in this agro-parkthrough contracts with the farmers. By next year we expect the rest of the lands in this agro-parkto come into production.

AAmmiittyy HHaallll:: Mr. Speaker, the Amity Hall Agro-Park is bustling with activities. The Government ofJamaica has provided a proper irrigation and drainage system for Amity Hall that comprisessome 809 hectares (2,000 acres) of land. We have also done some significant bridge/road work

MMiinniisstteerr RRooggeerr CCllaarrkkee aanndd hhiiss tteeaamm eexxaammiinnee iimmpprroovveedd ggiinnggeerr ppllaannttiinnggmmaatteerriiaall ggrroowwnn iinn sshhaaddee hhoouusseess..


to allow for access to large equipment such as planters and harvesters. Land preparation activities arebeing finalized on some 323 hectares (800 acres) of land and the planting of sorghum byCaribbean Broilers will commence within days. Mr. Speaker, another 283 hectares (700 acres) ofsorghum will be planted this year by other private interests. Red peas will be planted in rotation withthe sorghum, and the quantum of red peas to be reaped will be sufficient to replace a signifi-cant portion of that being imported. In addition to the sorghum, Mr. Speaker, another 48hectares (120 acres) of land in Amity Hall is currently being engaged for vegetables, 12 hectares(30 acres) for onion and another 40 hectares (100 acres) for hay production in support of aprivate sector led small ruminant expansion project.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight that apart from the jobs that this agro-park will generatethe red peas and the sorghum production is a deliberate assault on our high food import bill, aswe now import nearly 100% of the red peas we consume in Jamaica and all the grains we useto produce animal feeds.

EEbboonnyy PPaarrkk:: The focus at Ebony Park will be on the production of onions, yams, pepper, pineappleand a mixture of vegetables. We are in the process of concluding discussions with a Canadianinvestor who is the largest exporter of beans to Jamaica along with a number of Jamaicaninvestors to grow a minimum of 240 hectares (600 acres) of onions which represents approximately42% of national demand. Additionally, we are finalizing discussions with two of the largestsuppliers/importers of vegetables to the tourism industry to establish a 40 hectare (100 acre)vegetable farm focusing on replacing products that they now import.

In addition, three farmers’ associations are producing vegetables, tubers, condiments and spicesamounting to101 hectares (250 acres), valued at $150 million in the 2013/14 financial year.Mr. Speaker, in order to support all these production activities, the Ministry’s contribution will bethe installation of a proper irrigation system in this area.This will be implemented in this fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, in relation to the agro-parks at Spring Plain, Hill Run,New Forest/Duff House, Yallahsand Ettingdon, the Ministry iscurrently doing the necessaryassessments and preliminary workin terms of crop identification,planning of necessary infrastructureworks, identification of farmer/investors and private sector part-ners. The intention is to bringthese parks fully on stream by nextyear. I must point out, however,that in the case of New Forest/Duff House and Yallahs there arecurrently significant productionactivities already taking place aswe have just completed two newirrigation schemes for these areas.

PPrriimmee MMiinniisstteerr PPoorrttiiaa SSiimmppssoonn MMiilllleerr aanndd MMiinniisstteerr CCllaarrkkee ccoommmmiissssiioonntthhee nneeww iirrrriiggaattiioonn sscchheemmee aatt NNeeww FFoorreesstt//DDuuffff HHoouussee..


The value that these agro-parks will add is to orientate production to defined markets by linkingexisting farmers to private sector buyers. This work is currently being done and therefore, for allintents and purposes, these two agro-parks will come on stream this year.

Small Ruminants

We expect massive expansion in the rearing of small ruminants over the next two years. InDecember of last year our Ministry brought in a number of sheep and goats to improve ourbreeding stock. We will continue with the upgrading of our genetic material.

Pigs

Mr. Speaker, we are virtually self-sufficient in the supply of pork and pork products. Indeed weare producing to the extent that we are breaking out into the export market. We are working toaccelerate our exports as we continue to build on the successes we have had with the improvementof our pig breeds. Major investments continue in the pig industry.

Tubers

As it relates to yams and other tubers, Mr. Speaker, we have been able to overcome some of thechallenges we experienced last year when a substantial amount of our exports were rejected bythe United States because of the use of certain chemicals for the treatment of our exports. We

RReessiiddeennttss wweellccoommee tthhee nneeww iirrrriiggaattiioonn sscchheemmee ttoo tthheeiirr ccoommmmuunniittyy..


have since found the requisite chemicals for the treatment of these tubers and yam exports con-tinue to make a significant contribution to our foreign exchange earnings. We will continue tomonitor the situation and remain in dialogue with our partners in the US to ensure continuedexpansion and growth of our exports.

Youth in Agriculture

Mr. Speaker, within the framework of our agro-park programme, the Ministry of Agricultureintends to place particular focus on our youth. As is well known, young people face a particularchallenge in accessing land and capital, even though many of them have invested heavily in theireducation and are appropriately qualified. Government has a responsibility to facilitate youthtrained in agriculture, who have not yet been able to find employment in the sector.

Mr. Speaker, farmers are by nature, entrepreneurs and this apparent challenge provides us withan opportunity to create more entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector. In this regard, Mr.Speaker, the Ministry will devote, on a pilot basis, 40 hectares (100 acres) of land exclusively foryoung unemployed agricultural graduates. The lands will be leased to approximately 20 youthsat concessionary rates.We are imploring major private sector players in the sector to provide thenecessary working capital and markets for the production emerging from these 40 hectares (100acres). This is not a welfare activity; the private sector will actually be pre-paying for the producethat will be delivered to them. The Ministry will provide further support in terms of extension servicesand planting material. In the process, our young people will be honing their skills and getting ajump start in the sector.

Mr. Speaker, tthhiiss iiss ppaarrtt ooff oouurr ppllaann ttoo ggrrooww aaggrriiccuullttuurree aanndd ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa..

School Feeding Programme

An area with great potential for growth is the School Feeding Programme. The Ministry ofEducation in collaboration with our Ministry will be working together to put in place the SchoolFeeding Programme. The intention is to substitute imported butter fat with liquid eggs. This willgive the egg farmers of Jamaica a great opportunity. Fruit and vegetable farmers will also havean opportunity to participate.

TRADITIONAL SUB-SECTORS

Mr. Speaker, even whilst we roll out the agro-parks, and whilst we are excited at the prospectsof the parks in building new industries, we are not losing sight of our traditional sub-sectors. Ispeak specifically to sugar, cocoa, coffee and banana.

Sugar

Mr. Speaker, I have to report that despite privatization, this year the projected production ofsugar is 125,000 tonnes compared with 131,589 tonnes produced last year. Obviously Mr.Speaker, this is disappointing. The truth is production at Pan-Caribbean Ltd comprising Frome,Monymusk and Bernard Lodge, which constitute 70% of the Industry, has been down by 23% in


comparison with 2010/2011, the last year of Government control. Last year, for example, theComplant-owned factories produced 65,000 tonnes of sugar while this year they did 54,000tonnes. Clearly, therefore, Mr. Speaker, there are some deficiencies within the Complant operations.While there is some expansion in cane production from cane farmers in the area the agronomicpractices on the Complant operated farms are less than desired.

At the same time the other divested estates, Golden Grove and Everglades are making seriousstrides. For instance, production at Everglades moved from 3,984 tonnes last year to 6,674tonnes this year, and projections are for a 56% increase in production for the 2013/14 crop year,based on their current expansion in cane production. At Golden Grove production fell marginallybecause of the severe impact of Hurricane Sandy. However, in the 2013/14 crop they are poisedto increase 14.5% due to the expansion of sugar cane production currently underway.

The Government is committed to working with Pan-Caribbean to get their production back ontrack, so that we can realize the enormous potential of this Industry. If Pan-Caribbean takes thenecessary corrective action, then we could see their production increase in the 2015/16 cropyear. Mr. Speaker, Worthy Park and Appleton continue to hold their own.

The Opposition spokesman on Finance in his presentation opined that the Government had notfulfilled obligations to Complant and we were therefore jeopardizing the construction of a$US100 million refinery by Pan-Caribbean. Mr. Speaker, the fact is that the only outstanding matterhas to do with the separation of some workers from the JPS lines that supply Complant operations.This is going to cost the Government $200 million and we are working with the Ministry ofFinance to see how that can be accommodated. All of the technical drawings are in place, andwe are only awaiting the financing of the project.

Cocoa

Mr. Speaker, cocoa production fell from 554 tonnes in 2011/12 to 450 tonnes this crop year dueto the impact of Hurricane Sandy. Nevertheless this is still 100% more than production in2010/11. Mr. Speaker, this improvement over 2010/11 is the direct result of the massive reha-bilitation and replanting programme the Ministry implemented across the sector, with fundingsupport from the USAID and the European Union. Mr. Speaker, in the up-coming 2013/14 cropyear we expect production to be increased to 850 tonnes, barring any adverse weather conditions.

Coffee

Mr. Speaker, the Coffee Industry continues to face challenges. Production was 6,687 tonnes inthe last crop year and is projected to be approximately 6,000 tonnes this year. This is a far cryfrom the over 9,000 tonnes in 2007. This decline relates to the fall out in the Japanese market,resulting in reduced orders and lower prices. The problems in the sector have been compoundedby the outbreak last year of coffee leaf rust disease which is impacting 70% of coffee fields inthe Central American region. Indeed some countries in the region have actually declared anepidemic where the disease is considered. Here in Jamaica Hurricane Sandy not only exacerbatedthe disease problem but also directly impacted production and access to some areas.


Mr. Speaker, the Ministry has responded to the leaf rust outbreak with an $8.5 million eradicationprogramme in partnership with the stakeholders. The Government divested Mavis Bank in orderto secure the requisite investments and attract new markets. The divestment of Wallenford is acritical part of Government strategy to bring new investments, additional working capital andmarket diversification. We are at the cusp of concluding agreement with a private sector entityfor the divestment of Wallenford and an announcement will be made in short order on this matter.

Mr. Speaker, we are doing all of this because we want to ggrrooww aaggrriiccuullttuurree aanndd ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa..

Banana

Mr. Speaker, banana production in 2012 was 47,473 tonnes compared to 46,660 in 2011.Obviously the impact of Hurricane Sandy is being felt this year, 2013, in terms of the availability ofthe fruit. The Ministry responded swiftly with provision of inputs in the amount of $13.5 million,thanks to the Banana Catastrophe Fund and European Union resources. The Government furtherprovided a $100 million loan facility through the DBJ at a subsidized interest rate of 5%, for resus-citation efforts. Approximately 50% of this amount has since been taken up. Mr. Speaker, I amhappy to announce to this Honourable House that the Government has secured a grant of€5 million from the European Union to bolster production for local consumption and regionalexports. With this intervention and subject to good weather, we expect banana production tomove to 100,000 tonnes over the next three years.

Cattle

Mr. Speaker, I now turn to the Dairy Industry. The consumption of milk in Jamaica, as a majorsource of protein, is of concern to this Government. For the last decade, local production hasbeen averaging 12 to 13 million litres annually. At the same time, importation of milk productshas declined from 162.31 million litres (fluid equivalent) in 2007 to 103.64 million litres in 2012,translating to a per capita consumption of 115 millilitres of milk per day. This is below the WHOrecommended consumption of 200 millilitres per day.

Mr. Speaker, we have to rebuild the Dairy Industry. Our analysis shows that based on the existingnumber of milking cows and heifers, we can increase production within a one-year period by atleast 10 percent, if we can address the issue of the animals’ nutrition, particularly during the dryperiods. Mr. Speaker, I have therefore tasked the Jamaica Dairy Development Board to workwith industry stakeholders on an action plan to increase silage and hay production this year tosupport the desired 10 percent increase. The resources from the Dairy Cess, which this year willamount to some $65 million, will support this programme.

I have further asked the FAO to immediately provide us with some assistance to formulate a five-year action plan to spur dairy production, addressing not only nutrition, but breed improvement,pasture management and so on. Again the resources of the Dairy Development Cess will support thisprocess. Already, Mr. Speaker, we have started to address this critical matter of nutrition, by procuringand leasing to the stakeholders in the sector important equipment and machines to aid with hayproduction. So far, we have procured some forest choppers which have been leased to thefarmers.


Mr. Speaker our Ministry has committed to working with the beef cattle farmers to assist themto put a silage programme together to ensure year round nutrition.

Pasture management is critical in cattle production. We are faced with a serious challenge ofPiano grass (Themeda arguens) threatening the survival of our pastures. It is a dangerous speciesthat can only be destroyed by the chemical MSMA. The Pesticide Control Authority has placeda ban on MSMA, and we have yet to find an effective permitted alternative.

EXPLORING NEW INDUSTRIES

Mr. Speaker, the world is dynamic and we have to continually look for new opportunities forgrowth and prosperity. Of all the species that the good Lord has given us for food, we are reallyonly just exploiting a fraction of what is available. There are a number of herbs and spices knownto us, such as mint, cerasee and fever grass that we use on a domestic basis with spectacularresults. The time has come for us to commercialize these herbs and spices.

The field of nutraceuticals is growing exponentially and holds enormous potential for this country.Organic agriculture is another such area. However, we have not been focussing sufficiently as aMinistry on these emerging areas. In this regard, we are currently negotiating a contract with aspecialist in this area to help the Ministry to work with stakeholders in the sector to devise anindustry development plan. We will explore these exciting possibilities including, for example,the possibility of producing high quality tea in the Blue Mountains.

FISHERIES

Mr. Speaker, given the depletion of our marine fisheries stock, due to overfishing on the reefs,the Ministry will continue to increase its conservation efforts through the designation and propermanagement of fish sanctuaries.

As this House is aware, 14sanctuaries have been desig-nated including three since Ihave taken over as Minister.The Ministry expended some$40.4 million on the manage-ment of these sanctuaries andalready we are getting reportsof increased fish stocks andsize of fish.

In the meantime, Mr. Speaker,the Ministry’s strategy is torebuild the aquaculture sector.This sector has been chal-lenged by heavy competitionfrom cheaper imported Tilapiaand other fish, especially fillets

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for the fast-food Industry. In fact, approximately 11 percent of our food import bill in 2011 wasattributable to the imports of fish and fish products. Far from being exasperated, the Ministryviews this as an opportunity for growth. In this regard, the Ministry is committed to the following:

I. Completion of an Aquaculture Development Strategy in this financial year to guide the development of this sub-sector.

II. Two agro-parks – Hillrun and Meylersfield – will focus on the rehabilitation of abandoned fishponds to increase aquaculture production. These parks will come into operation in the latter part of this year into next year. The Government will provide infrastructure such as irrigationand roads.We are also engaging a major fish processor and distributor as well as local hotelto buy our local production.

III. The Ministry recognizes that the availability of quality seed stock has been a problem and, in recognition of this, will be looking at rehabilitating infrastructure at the Aquaculture Branchof the Fisheries Division to provide quality seed stock and research facilities for the aquaculturesub-sector. Funding for this activity will be secured from the Fisheries Management DevelopmentFund.

EXTENSION SERVICES

Mr. Speaker, all of theseefforts to ggrrooww aaggrriiccuullttuurree ttooggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa will be under-pinned by improving ourextension services. We haveestablished farmer field schoolswhich are proving highlysuccessful.

Minister Paulwell last weekissued Parliamentarians withnew tablets. I must report thatwe did the very same thingwith our extension officers afew weeks ago. We providedthem with tablets to enablethem to have greater link-ages with the various servicesoffered by the Ministry andgreatly improve field service delivery. It is part of our efforts to provide an enabling environmentfor continuous improvement in our extension services.

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ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

Mr. Speaker, having outlined our critical programmes for the next financial year, allow me nowto indicate the enabling framework within which these programmes will be executed.

Mr. Speaker, I first want to turn to the Fisheries sector in which nearly 30,000 Jamaicans areengaged. We have to secure our fisheries resources for future generations. I say this against thebackground of the depletion of our resources and the plundering by poachers. Mr. Speaker, Ihave had discussions with the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and the Minister ofJustice, and I am indicating to this Honourable House, today, that whatever it takes we are goingto bring the Fisheries Bill to this House in this Parliamentary Year. This comprehensive piece oflegislation will make the necessary legal provisions for the sustainable management of thesevaluable resources. I further commit to advance the modernization of the Fisheries Division intoan Executive Agency.

Mr. Speaker, let me turn to the matter of the Pedro Cays. There has been much written and saidon this matter in the last six months. Let us face it: collectively, successive Governments have notpaid sufficient attention to the management of the Cays. The Ministry of Agriculture & Fisherieshas been leading the charge to correct this, but it is also important to work in concert with allthe relevant agencies of the Government. We have committed over $9.8 million for the removalof garbage from the Pedro Cays up to the end of the year. This activity is on-going.

We have stepped up enforcement with the placement of two Fisheries officers on the Cays.They are working closely with the Marine Police and the JDF Coast Guard to enforce adherenceto the fisheries licence regime on the Cays. We are currently finalizing a contract with theUniversity of the West Indies to undertake a carrying capacity study to determine the number ofpeople that the Cays can support and the kind of sanitation infrastructure required, to preservethe environmental integrity of the Cays. On the basis of this study the Ministry will establish an

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appropriate licensing regime, notwithstanding our proactive stance in reducing the number andvalidity period of licences issued this year. The Ministry will also contribute to the installation ofthe required infrastructure. It is imperative to state that the day-to-day management of the Cays willhave to be addressed through the formulation and execution of a multi-agency sustainablemanagement regime.

FOOD HEALTH & SAFETY

Mr. Speaker, this Government has made considerable strides in overhauling our food health andsafety infrastructure in order to safeguard public health. As mentioned before, the NationalFood Safety and Implementation Plan has been approved by the Cabinet. Within the frameworkof this plan, we will rationalise the institutional arrangements and the legislative framework forfood safety management as this responsibility is now dispersed across several Ministries. In thisregard, the Veterinary Services Division and the Plant Quarantine Divisions of this Ministry willbe appropriately strengthened.

Currently, the Ministry is undertaking an aggressive programme to have all its labs duly accredited.We have so far spent approximately $50 million on the equipping of our veterinary laboratories;a number of our staff has undergone extensive training both locally and abroad; critical manualshave been prepared and the target is to have two laboratories accredited by the end of this year.A similar approach is being taken in respect of the other labs in the Ministry.

Mr. Speaker, we remain concerned about the quality of food our people are consuming. In thisregard I have asked the Jamaica Bureau of Standards to work with the relevant Agencies of theState to formulate and promulgate a comprehensive set of standards for key food items.

Mr. Speaker, the levels of sodium in some of our imported foods is frightening. The sugar contentof some of the snacks - particularly imported ones - that our students consume in our schools isequally alarming. We have a responsibility to safeguard our nation’s health and by the sametoken keep out unsavoury imports and provide opportunities for increased production of whole-some local foods and snacks.

In terms of facilitating exports, the Ministry is currently upgrading the Agricultural MarketingCorporation (AMC) Complex to meet US Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA) standards andlast year we improved our two export complexes at a cost of $16 million. These initiatives havesupported the increase in exports to which I referred earlier.

Under the US$15 million IDB Agricultural Competitiveness Project, significant resources arecommitted to food safety, and we are actively pursuing an initiative to partner with a private entityto establish a modern multi-species abattoir in Westmoreland from the resources of this project.

RESTRUCTURING INITIATIVES

Mr. Speaker, the Ministry continues its modernization programme to provide more efficient andeffective service to the sector. Last year I announced the commencement of work on the ration-alization of the regulatory functions of the Cocoa, Coffee and Coconut Boards as well as theExport Division.This project is headed by Dr. Garnet Brown. Significant work was undertaken


including consultations with stakeholders, research on best practices, review of existing legislationand development of the legal framework for the new entity as well as a structure for the mergedentity. The work will be sufficiently advanced to allow me to take to Cabinet later this year specificproposals for a new structure, and new legislation.

Mr. Speaker, in tandem with this initiative work has also been advanced on the divestment of thecommercial assets of the Cocoa Board. As we speak, the valuation of the assets is being carriedout. Unfortunately, we lost some momentum with the untimely death of Mr. Sam Lawrence theformer Chairman of the Enterprise Team. I have since appointed Mr. Richard Burgher to chair theEnterprise Team, and the intention is that the divestment will be synchronized with the cominginto being of the merged entity.

Mr. Speaker, as this Honourable House is aware, the Wint Commission of Enquiry of 2008recommended the restructuring of the Sugar Industry Authority and the Sugar Industry ResearchInstitute in light of the privatization of the Industry and the changes in the marketing arrangementsfor sugar. Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) was engaged to undertake this work. I am pleasedto announce that I now have in hand the recommendations of PWC; the stakeholders have beenconsulted and I will shortly take those recommendations to Cabinet. At that point full disclosurewill be made to the public on the new structure.

Mr. Speaker, the Jamaica Exotic Flavours and Essences Ltd. now forms part of the portfolio ofthe Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries. This entity is now playing a pivotal role in the SchoolFeeding Programme by supplying purees and essences for juices. This entity is under-capitalized,and we think the nature of the services it provides makes it appropriate for divestment. In thisregard, the Ministry intends to initiate proceedings for the divestment of this entity.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Mr. Speaker the only sustainable means of increasing and maintaining agricultural productivityis through consistent innovative research and application of research findings to production.Countries of our size and means cannot engage the range of research required to solve our pro-ductivity problems without collaboration with academia. Mr. Speaker, our R and D programmeover the years has yielded spectacular results –Jamaica Hope, Bodles Globe Pumpkin, severalvarieties of pepper and tomatoes and so on. We cannot halt the momentum on account of fiscalchallenges!

Cognisant of this fact, Mr. Speaker, I have mandated the Ministry to immediately engage all ourtertiary institutions - UWI, UTECH, NCU and CASE to formulate a joint programme of researchto tackle problems which are of import to the sector. This will complement existing programmeswith foreign based universities and regional and international organizations such as theCaribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the UN Food andAgriculture Association (FAO), Inter-American Institute of Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA),and the Commonwealth of Learning. I think the significant convergence of interests andcollaborative research will have a greater impact on the sector rather than having each institutionoperating in a silo. We expect an MOU to be crafted and implementation to commence in thisfinancial year.


Focus on Soil

Mr. Speaker, our soils form the basis of all our agricultural development, and are equally essentialfor ecological sustainability. Unfortunately, we have not been good stewards of this criticalresource due to our poor soil management and agronomic practices. Frequent hurricanes,floods, and drought have also contributed to widespread soil erosion. We have to start addressingthis problem in a systematic way.

Mr. Speaker, during the 146th meeting of the FAO council, on April 24th this year the 193 membercountries agreed to the designation of 2015 as “The International Year of Soils”.

The Ministry some time ago produced a soil manual and nothing significant has happened since.We are not going to await 2015 to start focussing on the rehabilitation of our soils, the adoptionof such time honoured agronomic practices as crop rotation, and whatever other methodsrequired to increase our soil fertility and drive productivity.

Mr. Mark Brooks has been a consistent advocate for healthy soils and therefore, Mr. Speaker, Iam mandating my Ministry to work with Mr. Brooks, the universities and our regional and inter-national partners to formulate a programme for the assessment and rehabilitation of our soils.

PRAEDIAL LARCENY AND FARM THEFT

Mr. Speaker, praedial larceny and farm theft continue to be a major deterrent to agriculturalproduction. Last year we increased our collaboration with the security forces and the judiciary.This has resulted in increased arrests by the police, particularly in the St. Thomas and St. ElizabethDivisions. The traceability systems that we are strengthening under our food health and safetyprogramme will considerably bolster our anti-praedial larceny/farm theft programme. At thesame time we will launch a new public education programme.

Mr. Speaker, this year we are moving to put greater emphasis on monitoring end-users. Variousentities of the Government will work together within the framework of existing legislation to stepup inspections in retail outlets, as we are not convinced that the thieves can dispose of stolengoods, particularly livestock, without the collaboration of large buyers/distributors. We are alsogoing to invoke a number of legal provisions on the Statute that regulate the movement andslaughter of animals, and we are going to cause the registration of purveyors, as required by law.

Mr. Speaker, praedial larceny and farm theft is a societal issue and we err if we view it as a matteronly to be tackled solely by the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries. We believe that there areenough legal provisions to deal with the matter and we will work collaboratively with our otherpartners in Government and the farming community to address the problem.


CONCLUSION

As I close this presentation, Mr. Speaker, I must say I feel a sense of optimism about the future.Indeed I am buoyant about the possibilities in the agricultural sector. Mr. Speaker, challengesthere are, but yes, we are blessed – with abundant sunshine, sufficient rainfall and rich soil. It isour duty to secure and to utilise these God-given resources to improve our welfare as a people.

I believe we have the capacity – the people and the know-how – to continue to grow a healthyand wholesome agricultural sector. TToo ggrrooww aaggrriiccuullttuurree iiss iinnddeeeedd ttoo ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa.

I have therefore today, outlined the policies, plans and programmes of the Ministry ofAgriculture & Fisheries.

I am confident that with God’s will and with our commitment and dedication, we can do this andwe can prosper.

Through sugar transformation, Mr. Speaker, wwee ccaann ggrrooww AAggrriiccuullttuurree aanndd ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa..

Through the increased production of ginger, turmeric and neutraceuticals, wwee ccaann ggrroowwaaggrriiccuullttuurree aanndd ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa!!

Through our traditional food sectors, wwee ccaann ggrrooww aaggrriiccuullttuurree aanndd ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa!!

Mr. Speaker, through our agro-parks, wwee ccaann ggrrooww aaggrriiccuullttuurree aanndd ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa!!

I have outlined our achievements and the programmes of the Ministry going forward and theenabling environment. It was really a challenge to tell so much in the time allotted. However, Mr.Speaker, we at the Ministry understand the critical role the sector must play in placing our countryon a path of growth and economic development.

Perseverance will be our watchword.

GGrroowwiinngg aaggrriiccuullttuurree ttoo ggrrooww JJaammaaiiccaa wwiillll bbee oouurr mmaannttrraa.

May God bless the farmers and their organizations.

May God bless Jamaica, the land we love.

grow agriculture, grow jamaica

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