The Ministry of Agriculture has signed an agreement valued at over $16 million (US$269,000) with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to resuscitate and increase the production of fruit crops in Jamaica.Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke said the
project would assist in strengthening the country's capabilities in the production of fruit trees, such
as sweetsop, soursop, custard apple, Jew plum, guava, naseberry, lychee and strawberry.
Mr. Clarke, who was speaking at the signing
ceremony held at the ministry's Old Hope Road, St. Andrew office on May 3, said the project was expected to last 18 months.
"It is a project that will be of monumental benefit to the agricultural sector. It is one area that we believe that we can make a quantum leap in production and is something that is sustainable and something in which our young people can be involved," he said.
Select production
Under the new project, which will be
administered by the Research and Development Division of the Agriculture Ministry, emphasis will be placed on providing training in select production and propagation technologies, delivery of expert advice on establishing appropriate marketing and post-harvest systems, as well as nursery
management.
Minister Clarke said the project would be
aiming to identify and introduce "superior
cultivators, (as well as a) review of the country's domestic and export marketing systems."
Collection facilities
There will be provisions for the assessment of training and infrastructural requirements in the areas of harvesting, sorting, grading, packaging, storage and transportation of fruits destined for local and export markets.
Four collection facilities will be built to collect a variety of local and imported vegetable material. The project will start out with 12 pilot plantations and some 100 farmers, who will be trained in fruit production and propagation.
A training manual outlining the best practices
of harvesting, post-harvest treatment, handling, packaging and transportation will be developed.
Newly appointed FAO representative, Dunstan Campbell, said the project would serve to assist the country as it attempted to meet the twin challenges of agriculture and rural development, through collaboration with various stakeholders.
The Agriculture Minister said he was eager for the project to start as the benefits from it would result in a burgeoning fruit crop market.
