INTEREST in farming as a business venture is growing among Jamaicans, with 66 per cent of consumers expressing a desire to explore agriculture, according to the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) Business and Consumer Indices Survey for the first quarter of 2025.

The survey, which examined public and business sentiment as part of efforts to build supply chain resilience through crop yield optimisation and climate-smart agriculture, points to a changing perception of the sector, which has traditionally been seen as high risk and low return due to climate vulnerability and market instability.

Of those surveyed, 34 per cent said they were “very interested” in learning about farming, while 32 per cent were “somewhat interested”, signalling renewed interest in agriculture as both a career path and investment option.

“A significant percentage of the people we interviewed say they have varying degrees of interest in learning about farming and agriculture as a business opportunity,” said executive chairman of Market Research Services Don Anderson during the survey’s presentation.

Still, there is a noticeable divide between interest in agriculture and willingness to pay for environmentally sustainable farming practices. While 42 per cent of consumers believe Jamaica’s current agricultural methods have a positive impact on climate change, 47 per cent said they were not willing to pay more for produce grown using environmentally friendly practices. Among those who were willing to pay a premium (34 per cent), 49 per cent said it was because they believed the food would be healthier and of better quality. However, the biggest barrier remains price. Of those who said no, 46 per cent cited high food costs as the reason.

When asked whether Jamaican farmers are ready to adopt environmentally sustainable practices, 44 per cent of consumers said farmers are “somewhat equipped”, while 8.5 per cent said “very well equipped”. The rest either believed farmers were not ready or were unsure.

On the business side, the sentiment was more critical. Only 16 per cent of businesses believed current farming methods have a positive climate impact, while 41 per cent said they have a negative effect. Additionally, 57 per cent said farmers are not equipped to make the transition to sustainable practices, and 13 per cent said “not at all equipped”. That brings the total share of businesses that feel farmers are unprepared to 69 per cent.

When it comes to support structures, the gap is again evident. Sixty-four per cent of businesses said there are no existing programmes specifically tailored to help farmers adopt environmentally friendly methods, while 49 per cent believe Jamaican businesses are not providing enough support to local farmers overall. Despite this, there is a strong desire to change the status quo; 64 per cent of businesses indicated they are willing to support local farming initiatives that promote sustainability.

“There are opportunities, and there’s an inclination to support local farming,” said Anderson. “If you marry the two, you ought to have a very positive outcome.”

The survey also revealed a slight decline in overall business confidence for the first quarter of 2025, with the index falling by 11 points to 132.5. Nonetheless, the prevailing sentiment among agribusiness leaders, specifically within the farming and agriculture industry, is that it remains a good time to invest, according to the survey, 71.4 per cent.

“Our goal is to have pineapples available 52 weeks a year. That takes investment in technology, and within another year or two we’ll get there,” said Peter McConnell, managing director of Trade Winds Citrus Limited, following the findings. “That same model needs to be applied to other crops as well.”

Inconsistency in supply remains a key issue. Many business operators said that while they support local farming, they often resort to imports to fill gaps. McConnell suggests that one way to address this is through the adoption of modern agricultural technology, including — but not limited to — greenhouse farming. However, access to finance for farmers to invest in technology is still a common issue cited about agroprocessors and is one of the biggest barriers to transforming agriculture.

“We’ve just stopped borrowing,” McConnell added, revealing that Trade Winds has instead reinvested 70 per cent of its profits back into the business.

“We need better appreciation for agriculture and easier access to capital. Even though agriculture carries risk, it’s possible to mitigate that with technology and better structures,” added Alicia Bogues, head of regional development at CB Group.

She shared that small agribusinesses continue to face difficulty securing loans, especially when compared to other depreciating assets like vehicles.

David Crum-Ewing, operations executive at GraceKennedy Goods and Services, agrees, adding that interest rates should be flexible, as different crops require different timelines for yield and repayment.

And, on the matter of imports, McConnell proposed that only farmers should be allowed to import short-supply crops as a way to ensure the sector remains viable.