THE COLLEGE of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland recorded a 69 per cent increase in revenues from its farming operations for the 2003 academic year compared to the previous year.In a release, CASE said that as at the end of August, the college earned $8.51 million as against 2002's $2.6 million.
According to President, Hopeton Fraser, the largest revenues were from poultry meat sales which accounted for $5.7 million while the piggery unit generated $454,000.
He said that during the year, poultry production was more than 120,617 pounds of which 106,207 pounds were supplied to the college's cafeterias.
Mr. Fraser also said that the college would be expanding its pig production to capitalise on the pork market for the annual Boston Jerk Festival in the parish. He also said that the institution's 'Spring Garden Farm' was being developed into a 'model-farm' to further increase its earning capacity and at the same time provide training in commercial agriculture.
10-ACRE BANANA FARM
During the year, the college established a 10-acre banana farm with assistance from the Banana Export Company under the European Union Support Programme and a grant was approved by the Government's Agricultural Support Services Project for papaya research.
Only recently CASE signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Jamaica Agricultural Development Foundation to jointly produce Sea Island Cotton.
However, Mr. Fraser stressed that the institution was still grappling with several challenges including limited developmental capital and equipment. Additionally, he said praedial larceny was a major issue. During the last academic year almost half the amount of plantains produced were stolen plus breadfruits, ackee and bananas.
This year, 280 persons graduated from the institution including the first set of students from the Bachelor of Technology degree programme.
