AROSA Limited, a processor of meats and purveyor of wines, cheeses and breads, in partnership with the Jamaica Pig Farmers’ Association (JPFA), is bolstering support for the local pork industry through a Pork Jamaica campaign. The initiative, which aims to make local pork more sustainable, competitive at international standards, and a central part of the culinary experience for Jamaican households, was recently launched at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining.

“Arosa is fully committed to encouraging local farmers to develop the best breed and stock so that the end result is better and more cost-effective,” shared Stewart Jacobs, general manager of Arosa Limited. “Ninety-five per cent of the pork meat Arosa uses is locally acquired. We are proud to continue to assist our local farmers and we are committed to this value-added campaign. We support and see the need for making local pork sustainable and competitive on an international scale. We are confident that the Pork Jamaica campaign can successfully achieve this and leave a lasting mark once the public is aware of the high standard of pig rearing in Jamaica.”

The Pork Jamaica campaign marks a national alliance between JPFA, the Ministry of Agriculture, and meat processors. The campaign’s mission spotlights the positive attributes of pork, elevating it beyond its taste to emphasise its nutritional benefits.

According to Jacobs, the end goal is to create a more diversified and high-quality range of pork products.

“It will control the price and so we will be able to control our price to the end user, to the market,” he added. “And it will grow the pig industry in a way where it becomes more affordable and more reachable for the Jamaican.”

“Now, for example, most of Arosa’s business is with the tourist industry and that is very dynamic, in terms of how you want to hold your prices to maintain good margins,” Jacobs continued. “If the pig industry continues to grow, then with its growth is going to be that control of the economic side of it. And so we’ll be able to forecast better. We will be able to collaborate with other stakeholders in it. And with a more robust pig industry you will find that the demand for it is going to increase and when it increases, then of course our growth potential will be realised.”

Jacobs highlighted several challenges facing pig farmers in Jamaica. A major obstacle is the availability of feed due to armed conflict in Ukraine and Russia, where much of the world’s feed originates. Additionally, there is direct competition from other meat choices, with chicken being the primary competitor.

“Just about 4 kg of pork is consumed by Jamaicans,” the general manager pointed out. “It should be much more than that. We should be eating more pork than we are. And when you compare Jamaica to Barbados, they are consuming, like, 11 kg of pork. And Trinidad which has a very strong, certain religious persuasion there, they are eating about 14 kg of pork in their diet per person. And so we are way off in the Caribbean and we need to be where we ought to be with a protein that is reared here in Jamaica. We need to support the huge industry that employs quite a bit of people and it is an industry [with a lot of finished products].”

Despite pork having high value-added potential with finished products like sausage, ham, and bacon, Jacobs lamented that awareness about the nutritional value and benefits of pork is lacking among consumers.

Hanif Brown, president of JFPA, explained, “Pork is not just any other meat; it offers a greater canvas than any other. We want to showcase pork as a high-quality protein source, rich in nutrients, reigniting the passion for pork and driving local agriculture.”

The campaign will feature cooking demonstrations and educational seminars, which will allow individuals to explore, experiment with, and embrace the diversity of pork. The call to support local farmers and meat processors is meant to emphasise its potential impact on communities, families, and other relationships.

Minister of state in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Franklin Witter endorsed the project.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this vital initiative promoting pork consumption,” he commented. “It is timely as we celebrate the Christmas season. Pig farmers have achieved self-sufficiency, ensuring ample production to meet demand. Pork is an important source of protein and it is essential to create awareness around it as it can in turn advance Jamaica’s agricultural sector and ensure food security. Together, let’s support and celebrate our locally produced pork for the benefit of farmers and communities,” he said.

Jacobs, meanwhile, acknowledged various initiatives and government programmes supporting local pig farmers. The Government has removed taxes and tariffs for importing young pigs for breeding purposes, he said. Additionally, support includes facilitating reasonable prices for feed, assistance in building infrastructure such as pens, and training programmes for farmers.

The general manager also spotlighted other ways in which his company is assisting the industry.

“And what Arosa has done, and our part that we have played in helping the local pig industry to grow and maintain its upward trend, is to guarantee that we purchase from specific farmers on specific days of the week, and so on, in a specific amount,” he explained. “So the farmers are dependable and Arosa holds with them the agreed price, the agreed amount. One of the things that we have also done with our farmers is to allow a very open communication, an affable type of relationship where it’s very symbiotic because we are very dependent on them with the sizes that they bring us, the quality, the time and even the very temperature that it is delivered to us, is very important.”

Jacobs underscored the importance of consumer education as part of the plan to overcome challenges in the pork industry affirming the need to make consumers aware and dispel myths surrounding pork, promoting it as a healthy protein choice. Arosa aims to contribute to this awareness through the Pork Jamaica campaign.