Dennise Williams, Staff Reporter
BUT THERE is real threat that domestic goat husbandry will be overtaken by imports. However, should farmers treat the rearing of goats more seriously, there are several opportunities to profit from local and overseas demand for the meat.
President of the Jamaican Agricultural Society, Senator Norman Grant said, "Although it has been mentioned that one of every two farmers in Jamaica owns a goat, these farmers need to consider their occupation as a business and treat it accordingly."
Data collected by the Ministry of Agriculture, shows that while some 3.3 million kilograms of goat meat was produced between 1997 and 2002, in excess of 3.6 million kilograms of mutton had to be imported for that period, amounting to expenditure of over $244.3 million to meet the local demand, he told the Financial Gleaner recently.
CLEAR DEMAND
This shows a clear demand for the product and senator Grant said, "Goat meat and its value-added products are highly acclaimed in Jamaica as it is a part of our culture and benefits our economy. Goat farmers therefore, need to embrace this industry on a large scale in terms of business purposes."
The JAS is now working to significantly reduce the import bill for goat meat by encouraging more farmers to take advantage of the available market opportunities naturally on a local level and in the United States along with restaurant owners and hoteliers of the Dominican Republic."
For the sceptics who see goat husbandry as a limited business venture, Senator Grant outlined the benefits of goat production.
The goat meat has a fat content that is 47 per cent lower than that in beef and 54 per cent less than that in lamb.
Goat milk is promoted in part as a dietary alternative to cow's milk especially for people with ulcerated stomachs, digestive problems, and convalescents.
Goat's milk, according to Ministry of Agriculture's small ruminant specialist, David Miller, contains more dispersed fat globules that make it easier to digest.
Recently there has been renewed allure to goat's milk. Toilet soap manufactured from goat's milk is fast becoming a popular choice in United States and Canada for people, mainly women, with delicate, sensitive skins.
