THE Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) is spending $25 million to stage the 2006 Denbigh Agricultural Show, and is planning to re-invest the profits in showgrounds that are to be developed over five years, at a cost of $1 billion.

Last year, the annual event made a surplus of $1 million.

In previous years, namely 2003 and 2004, the event turned profits of $2 million and $6.5 million, respectively.

But JAS president Senator Norman Grant, speaking at the launch on Monday at the Jamaica Broilers Group head office at McCook’s Pen, St Catherine, said last year’s bottom line was affected by Hurricane Emily.

He also contributed the small surplus to the fact that $9 million spent to refurbish the building at the showgrounds could not be capitalised, based on new accounting procedures.

“Between [hurricanes] Ivan, Dennis and Emily, extensive damage was done to the physical facilities at the showground, necessitating the expenditure of a large amount of funds to renovate the buildings,” he explained.

Grant, who pointed out that the agricultural expositions in 2003 and 2004 had made a surplus, noted that he was optimistic that this year’s show would turn a profit.

“In 2003 our surplus was $2 million, and in 2004 it was $6.5 million… This year we are projecting that we will make money, again, and this will be re-invested in the development of the showground,” he added.

The show, which will be held from Saturday, August 5, to Monday, August 7, will be held under the theme “Agriculture and Rural Development – Creating the Future by Investing in the Present. The JAS president said that the theme was timely as “we are always of the view that agriculture and rural development is the safe passage that the country can take for sustained economic development and prosperity”.

He commended Digicel, the major sponsor of the Denbigh show, which recently signed a three-year sponsorship deal of $10 million with the JAS.

Meanwhile, Agriculture and Land Minister Roger Clarke said that, in the new structure of Prime Minister Simpson Miller’s cabinet, all the elements of agriculture had been placed under his ministry to synchronise and “put agriculture together”.

“In the new structure of the cabinet, Lands is back under agriculture and irrigation is also back in the agriculture ministry,” he said.

Clarke said the ministry was also moving with dispatch “to make our presence felt”.

“I want to see results as quickly as possible,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, the minister noted that a most encouraging development for him was to see small farmers embracing modern technology.

“Everybody is asking for a greenhouse. We have to modernise and make the going good.”

Meanwhile, Saturday’s show, which will be dedicated to the Minister of Agriculture, will highlight youth in agriculture. On Sunday, August 6 – the Governor-General’s day – Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall will deliver the keynote address.

On Monday, the final day of the show, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller will tour the showgrounds and address patrons.

Another highlight of the show will be the parish pavillion competition. Clarke said the pavillions would be judged in ten categories.