GOVERNMENT is pursuing discussions with Venezuela aimed at negotiating arrangements for the Spanish-speaking country to make fertiliser available to Jamaica at an affordable cost.

Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, told journalists at Tuesday's post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, that the initiative was one of the long-term options being pursued to minimise the cost of fertiliser to the agricultural sector in light of increased global prices and demand.

He said since taking office, there have been ongoing discussions with a number of supply sources in a bid to identify a feasible option that would minimize the cost locally.

"The most hopeful source, currently, is a collaboration with the Venezuelans, who have the raw material, based on the fact that they are an oil-producing country," Dr Tufton stated.
He pointed out that in December 2007 Prime Minister Bruce Golding, headed a delegation, which attended a meeting in Cuba, where they had discussions with the Venezuelans, including President Hugo Chavez.

"We are encouraged by those discussions, and a follow up discussion is to take place sometime this month, when the Venezuelans are expected to send a delegation to Jamaica to discuss a range of matters. Critical to those will be some discussion on fertiliser, or the raw material to produce and bag fertiliser here in Jamaica," Tufton outlined.

"Given their petroleum resource base and expertise, we are hoping that we can work out an arrangement to purchase at a reduced margin or subsidised price, the raw material to bag fertiliser here and pass on those savings to the consumers," he added.

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