One hundred Wambugu apple trees were recently imported to Jamaica from Kenya and planted across agro parks at Amity Hall, Ebony Park and Parnassu, as the Caribbean island steps up its programme to support import substitution of apples and to diversify the earning potential of farmers.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Floyd Green made the announcement at the 72nd staging of the annual Denbigh Agricultural Industrial and Food Show in Clarendon last weekend.

“These demonstration plots will allow us to evaluate performance while encouraging wider adoption among farmers,” Green said of the development.

“A single acre can accommodate as many as 500 trees,” he continued, adding that “Within approximately five years, each tree can produce up to 500 apples and, with proper care and management, yields can reach between 30 and 40 tonnes per acre annually.”

The Wambugu apple is a crisp, juicy red variety similar to American apples. It was developed by Kenyan farmer Peter Wambugu to grow in warmer, tropical climates, which makes it suitable for Jamaica.

In the project spearheaded by the Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC), Jamaica aims for the crop to become a viable addition to local fruit production, contributing to agricultural diversification and farmer profitability.

Peter Wambugu’s daughter, Catherine conducted training sessions in Jamaica last year and distributed seedlings to agro park farmers as part of the programme.

Emphasising the potential of the initiative, Green noted that last year alone, Jamaica imported more than 1.4 million kilogrammes of apples at a cost of more than J$260 million.

“Just imagine what could happen if even a portion of that market could be supplied by Jamaican farmers,” he said.

“The Wambugu apple gives us an opportunity to do precisely that,” he added, noting that the fruit has demonstrated tremendous potential as a commercial crop.

The agriculture minister stressed that the introduction of a new crop “requires more than simply putting trees into the ground”.

“It requires research, training, monitoring and strong partnerships. That is why the Agro-Invest Corporation will continue to work closely with farmers as we assess the long-term potential of this crop under local conditions,” he said.

Green urged farmers who are interested in participating to contact the Agro-Invest Corporation to learn more about the programme and the opportunities that it presents.