It might not be happening as fast as expected, but the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries has stated that work is ongoing as it relates to the further development of the island’s agro-parks.

“The agro-parks programme continues. over the last year or so we have been focused on finalising the outfitting of the infrastructure because, you know, when we started not one agro park had the full complement of infrastructure, so we are completing that,” permanent secretary in the ministry, Donovan Stanberry told journalists during a media briefing following the opening ceremony of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum last Thursday at the Knutsford Court Hotel in St Andrew.

Stanberry noted that this infrastructural upgrade was taking place significantly within the Ebony Park/Spring Plains agro-park in Clarendon, as they had just completed a new irrigation system.

He stated that there are also changes that will take place at the Hounslow agro-park in St Elizabeth, which is to be expanded. Stanberry added that they have on board a major player in the form of GraceKennedy, which he said will come under the “soft side” in terms of providing the markets for the farmers. Stanberry added that the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Karl Samuda is set to get additional funding to further the expansion process of the parks, and so the process continues.

But despite the plans that are underway, Samuda expressed that the rate at which the process is going is not as quick as they would like it to be.

“It hasn’t been expanding as rapidly as we had hoped. we are constrained in some instances by lack of continuous water supply, that is the problem. and one of areas we are particularly disappointed in is the area of southern St Elizabeth where the manner in which agriculture takes place down there, as far as I’m concerned, is too cyclical and dependent on the level of rainfall,” the minister told the media.

He said that as a result of this, instead of having a growth curve that is steadily inclining, there is an incline when there is good weather, which is then followed by a decline. This is what tends to result in the constant ‘back and forth’ nature of the growth curve.

“What we want is a trajectory that is steady, then you can put your pot on the fire for agriculture. so then you can know, and the minister of finance can project accurately what the growth figures will be, what the revenue intake will be, and what employment will be, so the entire ball game shifts. once you supply the water in a consistent manner, everything changes,” he said.

— Javene Skyers