KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness has reiterated his commitment to supporting Red Stripe’s Project Grow, an initiative through which the company plants cassava for use in the brewing of its beer.

Speaking during a visit to Red Stripe’s booth at the recent Expo Jamaica 2016 in Kingston, Holness said he was anxious for the company to accelerate a planned increase in its production of the starch.

“This project is very important to the country, so we need to get things moving along quickly,” he said in reference to plans by his administration to provide Government lands for extended lease to the company for cassava production.

The prime minister has made a commitment to support the beer company in fast tracking its local raw material agenda.

Red Stripe’s managing director, Ricardo Nuncio, responded that the company shares the Government’s enthusiasm for the project and is working to accelerate it.

“Project Grow is something we’re really proud of, and from which we fully expect to reap huge gains for the business and for the country, through increased employment and the myriad of socio-economic spin-offs,” Nuncio said.

Red Stripe announced early this year that it would increase to 10 per cent the component of locally grown cassava it uses in beer production. It currently uses five per cent of cassava, which the company grows on farms in St Catherine.

Red Stripe has been collaborating with the government to identify 300 additional acres of land that can be put under cassava production.

Red Stripe was among the 300 exhibitors who mounted booths at the four-day event, April 14-17, at the National Arena and Indoor Sports Complex. Thousands of Jamaicans attended the event which was staged by the Jamaica Exporters Association and Jamaica Manufacturers Association, in partnership with Jamaica Promotions Corporation, JAMPRO.