Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Franklin Witter, has assured that the Government continues to provide much needed support to farmers in Trelawny.

Witter was addressing the 68^th staging of the Hague Agricultural and Industrial Show, which was held in Trelawny on Wednesday (March 5).

He emphasised that the Ministry remains committed to helping farmers in the parish by repairing critical infrastructure, including several farm roads.

“Additionally, our commitment to strengthening agricultural infrastructure in the parish is [essential] to key developments that support farmers and enhance productivity. The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Trelawny Parish Office, houses a certified incubator approved by the Bureau of Standards and the public health department, providing essential resources for agri-processing initiatives,” Witter outlined. 

“A cold storage facility for fruits and vegetables is also in place at the parish office and will soon be commissioned and put into operation,” he noted. He noted also that the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) continues to bolster irrigation capabilities for the parish’s farmers.

“The Clarks Town NIC water ramp ensures that there is a reliable water [supply] for our farmers in Trelawny, while the Braco NIC irrigation scheme spans 100 acres of land fully outfitted with modern irrigation systems to support sustainable agricultural practices. We are serious about transforming the agricultural sector. We are serious about making sure that we give the support to our farmers,” the State Minister emphasised.

He commended the Trelawny farmers for being high producers of agricultural output, despite the challenges they have been facing.

“Trelawny is over 12,300 in numbers, operating on over 10,000 hectares of land and they continue to be the third largest producers of domestic crops. This is despite the challenges they face in terms of all the various concerns that will have impacted the farmers, not only here in Trelawny but right across Jamaica,” Witter said.

The State Minister noted that the Ministry is fully aware of the challenges being faced by the island’s farmers.

“In fact, we know the struggle of accessing reliable tractor services, the battle with the high cost of fertiliser, seeds and pesticides, the challenge of limited irrigation and even the labour shortage, but rest assured, we are working on these issues,” Witter said.

“We have already addressed some of them, such as improvements in irrigation infrastructure and expansion support services. We know more needs to be done and we are making sure that we respond to the needs of our farmers. Our focus remains on delivering sustainable solutions that will ease these burdens, strengthen the agricultural sector and create lasting opportunities for our farmers,” he added.

The State Minister also commended the organisers of the Hague agricultural show for their consistent efforts to make the event a successful one.

The show was held under the theme ‘Regrowth and Renewal: Cultivating a Resilient Future’.