Author Archives: donovan.saunches

Oral Lewis (right), of The Banana Board, explains the impact of the Swift River on banana farms at Canewood in Portland to (from left) Member of Parliament for West Portland Daryl Vaz, the Hon Karl Samuda, Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Peter Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, Rural Agricultural Development Authority, during aContinue reading “Tour of Banana Farms in Portland”

Donald Elvey (left), General Manager of the All Island Banana Growers’ Association, shows the Hon J.C. Hutchinson (right), Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, and banana farmers equipment to be installed in the newly constructed banana and plantain value added facility, built under the Jamaica Banana Accompanying Measures Programme,Continue reading “Hutchinson tours AIBGA Facilities”

Donald Elvey (centre), General Manager of the All Island Banana Growers’ Association, discusses banana being prepared for processing into chips with the Hon J.C. Hutchinson, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, during a tour of a banana farm in Trinity, St. Mary, on February 2. At right is DesmondContinue reading “Tour of a banana farm in Trinity, St. Mary”

Hon J.C. Hutchinson (left), Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, in discussion with (from left) Donald Elvey (centre), General Manager of the All Island Banana Growers’ Association (AIBGA), and Corrine McDonald, Farm Store Manager, during a tour of the AIBGA Trinity Farm Store in St. Mary on February 2.

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, greets Quality Manager at the Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Tricia Fraser, during a tour of the JANAAC-accredited laboratory in St. Andrew on Wednesday, January 31.

Errol Dakin (left) of the Veterinary Services Division (VSD) explains functions of equipment to the Hon Karl Samuda (centre), Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, during a tour of the JANAAC-accredited laboratory in St. Andrew on Wednesday, January 31. At right is Dr. Osbil Watson, Chief Veterinary Officer at the VSD.

By the end of March 2018, $320m will be spent on the repair of farm roads islandwide. In addition, $100m will be provided in assistance to farmers who were impacted by the recent flooding in the most devastated areas. This was disclosed by Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon Karl Samuda, at aContinue reading “Agriculture ministry provides $420m for farm roads and assistance to farmers”

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda has sought to assure that no decision will be taken using plantation white sugar as a substitute for refined sugar in the manufacturing process without agreement from members of the manufacturing sector. CARICOM’s Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) has asked the Sugar AssociationContinue reading “No Plantation White Sugar decision without Agreement from Manufacturing Sector”

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon Karl Samuda, commended the Veterinary Services Division (VSD) on its achievement of accreditation to the ISO/IEC17025 Standard for Testing Laboratories by the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation JANAAC). Minister Samuda said that the certification will enable the VSD to provide fisheries products that are of international standards.Continue reading “Veterinary Services laboratory receives accreditation”

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, the Hon Karl Samuda, has welcomed the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival to be held March 23-25, 2018 in Newcastle, St. Andrew, noting that it will be of significance in the marketing and branding of coffee. The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival will feature a trade day toContinue reading “Agriculture and Tourism ministries to host Blue Mountain Coffee Festival”