Minister Shaw signals his intention to advocate for the medical marijuana industry

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw says that he will be strongly advocating for the advancement of the medical marijuana industry in Jamaica.

According to Minister Shaw, the industry is one of the fastest growing industries globally, therefore, Jamaica must not be left behind must ensure its success locally.

He was speaking at the third staging of an Evergrow Training Seminar held at the Caymanas Golf and Country Club in St. Catherine on April 11 which was held under the theme: ‘Increased Crop Productivity Through Proper Fertilizer Use’

Minister Shaw said Government continues to take steps aimed at facilitating the development of Jamaica’s medical marijuana industry by addressing the underlying impediments.

These steps, he said, are being spearheaded by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health.
“There needs to be discussions between both Ministries to ensure that we are not breaking any rules, that we are on the right path and, that we are not left behind. We have to get the industry moving”, the Minister stated.

Meanwhile, Mr. Shaw is also encouraging farmers and other stakeholders involved in the cultivation of sugar cane to diversify their production by growing other/alternative crops.

“So if sugar is on the decline and is a problem for us, where are the alternatives? There are many. For instance, there is soya bean and there is castor bean, which we are used to see growing in bushes across the country. We need to put them in orchards now as castor oil is a major item globally”, Minister Shaw added.

He stated that rationalization of certain sugar lands such as Monymusk in Clarendon and Bernard Lodge in St. Catherine must be undertaken to determine which crops can be grown efficiently.

Mr. Burrell Scarlett, Director of Jamaica Floral Products Limited/Evergrow Garden Centre, said that the main objective of the seminar was to educate farmers on the efficient use of fertilizers in order to improve crop production.

The seminar was attended by representatives from the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Yallahs Agro Park in St. Thomas, and the Clarendon Horticultural Society, among others.

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