HAUGHTON COURT, Hanover — Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries JC Hutchinson says he will be working closely with stakeholders in Hanover, to ensure that the parish improves its contribution to the country’s domestic crop production.

Figures for 2019 show that the overall crop production from Hanover was approximately 26,400 tons, making the parish the 10th largest contributor to domestic crop production. This represents 3.8 per cent of the overall output from all the parishes in Jamaica.

Hutchinson, who was addressing a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) parish office for Hanover on last week Wednesday, argued that Hanover is capable of doing better.

“This, I think is very low. Hanover can do much better… I am going to see if we can make Hanover move up from the 10th place, that they even can reach in the top five,” stated Hutchinson.

“I would like to see Hanover be one of the leading parishes, and it can be done — it will be done,” he continued.

According to the figures, St Elizabeth is ranked number one and it is followed by Manchester.

Hutchinson said there are many factors affecting farmers, including praedial larceny and the poor condition of farm roads.

The minister noted that while the Government is repairing a number of farm roads in the parish, the road leading to the RADA parish office — which is integral to farmers, exporters and others — is in dire need of attention.

The road in the area is the hub for other State agricultural operations, such as a RADA-operated greenhouse and an agro-processing facility, a veterinary medical clinic, and a honey-processing plant operated by the Hanover Bee Farmers Co-operative.

The new RADA parish office is to be constructed at a cost of $108 million won the grounds of the old building, which was demolished more than three years ago.

— Anthony Lewis