KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, JC Hutchinson, is encouraging farmers to increase production in preparation for the reopening of the hotels and schools.

Speaking at the handover of agricultural inputs to St Catherine farmers at a forum held in Dunkeld on Thursday, he said farmers should use the support being provided by the Government and the private sector to boost cultivation of food crops because markets exist for the produce.

He argued, too, that the country isn’t producing enough for local consumption as it is.

“It is a time for you to go and cultivate; it doesn’t matter what you cultivate, there is a market for your produce,” Hutchinson said.

The farmers were presented with some of the $12 million worth of agricultural inputs to be distributed to farmers across the island. The inputs were provided by H and L Agro, and Newport Fersan as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.    

Hutchinson said the country cannot go through the COVID-19 crisis successfully alone, and collaborations with the two companies and others are a “true testament to the tremendous impact that can be achieved in partnerships”.

“We have to ensure that there is access to agricultural inputs and increased production for the next season,” he added.

Hutchinson reported that the ministry, through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), recently allocated an initial $10 million from the Production Incentive Programme to procure seeds, water tanks, planting materials, fertilisers and chemicals for distribution to farmers to stimulate production and productivity.

He encouraged the farmers to utilise the items given by H and L Agro and Newport Fersan (seeds, chemicals and fertilisers) “to ensure that our nation is able to successfully forge ahead, especially during these trying times”.

—JIS