KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – More than 100,000 patrons are expected to attend the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show to be held from July 30 to August 1 in May Pen, Clarendon.

JAS President, Norman Grant, informed that some 250 exhibitors will showcase their produce over the three-day event.

Grant, who was addressing a JIS Think Tank, said that this year’s show will feature some new and exciting elements and improvements to traditional offerings.

The new features are the Denbigh Promotional Village and Champion Organic Farmer Competition.   

The Promotional Village will facilitate small and medium-size companies that do not have the capacity to set up an exhibition area but have specific products they want to promote.  

The village will be housed in an air-conditioned tent and participants will be required to make a contribution towards this display area. The village will be manned by a coordinator and team members.

“The layout will adopt a gallery format with displays, based on invitation only, and must be accompanied by literature and personnel for daily presentations about the products,” Grant said.

As it relates to the Champion Organic Farmer competition, the JAS President informed that this involves collaboration with the Jamaica Diaspora Agriculture Taskforce and the Jamaica Organic Agriculture Movement. It will be sponsored by the diaspora.

Meanwhile, the traditional villages such as children and family, health and wellness, youth in agriculture, and tourism linkages will be enhanced.

Other major highlights of the event will be the National Farm Queen, National Champion Farmer, National Greenhouse Farmer, National Champion Young Farmer, and National Champion Woman Farmer competitions.

Grant informed that some 50 overseas participants from the Caribbean, Canada, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom are also expected to participate in Denbigh.

The Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Karl Samuda is expected to attend the show’s opening ceremony on Saturday, July 30.

The main objectives of the Denbigh Show are to promote the agricultural sector, display the best foods produced in Jamaica by parish, and highlight the importance of agriculture to the export sector and the national economy.

Denbigh 2016 will be held under the theme: ‘Grow What You Eat…Eat What You Grow Through Climate Smart Agriculture’.

Gates will open daily at 8:00 am to the public and admission is $900 for adults on day one; $1,000 on days two and three, and children will pay $400 on all three days.

Recognised as the premier agricultural show in the English-speaking Caribbean, the annual event highlights the latest developments in agricultural technology, and demonstrates linkages with other critical sectors such as science and technology, research and development, tourism, entertainment and finance.