Dr. Hector Barreyro (left), Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) representative to Jamaica, with Senator Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, examining scotch bonnet peppers on exhibition during day one of the Denbigh Agri-Industrial Show in Clarendon on Saturday. The show ended on Monday.
-Norman Grindley photo
Damion Mitchell, Farmers Weekly Co-ordinator
SENATOR NORMAN Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, has said that despite several weaknesses, the 52nd Agri-Industrial show held from July 31 to August 2 in Denbigh, Clarendon, was a "major success."
According to him, the level of attendance, especially on the second and third day was "overwhelming," while there was a noticeable increase in the number of exhibitors and sponsors.
But Senator Grant said there were some discredits in terms of the erection of adequate directional signs on the roads leading to the venue as well as on the grounds to the respective display areas.
"No doubt there are areas that we need to improve and we are committed to doing those for next year," he told Farmers Weekly on Thursday night.
And in response to complaints that there were too many plastic toys and other non-agricultural items on sale at the show, this year, Senator Grant said a special effort would be made next year to better organise the vendors of those items.
RECORD FIVE DELEGATIONS
The Denbigh Agri-Industrial Show, dubbed the Caribbean's premier Agricultural show, was held under the theme: "We are what we eat, so let's eat Jamaican" and saw a record five delegations from the various other Caribbean territories in attendance.
But for the 53rd staging next year, Senator Grant said, the Denbigh Agri-Industrial Show would take an "international flavour." He said that already the United States Embassy has agreed to facilitate exhibitors from that country and that plans are being made to approach other countries outside of the Caribbean.
In the meantime, Mr. Grant said the auditors' report of the profits made from the event were to be completed soon. It was projected that some $5 million would be realised in profits from the three-day show, which was to be staged at a cost of about $10 million.
The profits are to be used to fund the further development of the Denbigh Show Ground, including the creation of an Agricultural Theme Park.
