Building a Better Jamaica

KINGSTON (JIS):
Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has commended farmers for showing "tremendous resilience" in helping to increase agricultural production, despite the recent drought and other challenges.

"Last year, agriculture grew by 12.1 per cent, a miraculous achievement and I want to pay tribute to all the farm leaders, the Minister and his team, but most importantly the farmers, for their tremendous performance," he said.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the 58th staging of the Denbigh Agricultural Show in May Pen, Clarendon, yesterday (August 2). The three-day show, organised by the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), in association with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, was held from Saturday, July 31 to

August 2, under the theme: 'Grow What We Eat.Eat what We Grow'.

He noted that agricultural production, which had been declining consistently over the many years, has made a "turn around" because of the commitment shown by farmers. He said they had responded to the Government's appeal and had "planted more than they had ever planted before."

"Last year you increased the level of your contribution to the Gross Domestic Product, to the total economy. I hope that it is a path that is going to be continued," the Prime Minister added.

Mr. Golding, who had earlier toured several booths at the show, accompanied by the President of the JAS, Glendon Harris, admitted that he was a bit apprehensive on his way to Denbigh, because he thought that he would have seen some of the effects of the drought, which had caused a five per cent decline in agriculture during the second quarter of this year.

"I was very impressed with what I saw, the quality of the displays, the new things that I am seeing for the first time, new plants that I am hearing about and new fruits that I never heard about before. I want to say how satisfied and impressed I am of what I have been seeing here today," he said.