Ministry to expand spice exports

[Assasin]

Agriculture Ministry to expand spice exports










The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, through its Export Division, is undertaking a development programme, which will target a number of spice crops for expansion and export.
General Manager of the Export Division, Sylburn Thomas, says the initiative will target spices such as nutmeg, ginger, pimento, turmeric and cinnamon in the first instance.
Assistance is being provided for farmers to increase the production of ginger, including technical demonstrations, training, as well as economic incentives to expand output.
Mr. Thomas says the Government is providing funding for the research and commercial production of the planting material, which will then be sold to the farmers at a subsidised rate.
In addition, the Export Division is in discussion with suppliers to set up a centralised processing facility for ginger, including a steam distillation plant as well as a slicing machine.
He noted that the Jamaican ginger is known globally and while some of the largest spice manufacturers in the United States, Europe and Japan are familiar with the product, markets in Japan, India, United Kingdom and Germany seem to have a greater preference for local ginger.
Meanwhile, a centralised processing facility will also be developed for the turmeric market in Jamaica.
Currently, turmeric is grown in St. Elizabeth, Hanover, St. James, St. Thomas and Portland.
The Ministry of Agriculture is also setting up a nursery facility for nutmeg in St. Mary, which currently has 7,000 plants.

[Don1]

Agriculture Ministry to expand spice exports










The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, through its Export Division, is undertaking a development programme, which will target a number of spice crops for expansion and export.
General Manager of the Export Division, Sylburn Thomas, says the initiative will target spices such as nutmeg, ginger, pimento, turmeric and cinnamon in the first instance.
Assistance is being provided for farmers to increase the production of ginger, including technical demonstrations, training, as well as economic incentives to expand output.
Mr. Thomas says the Government is providing funding for the research and commercial production of the planting material, which will then be sold to the farmers at a subsidised rate.
In addition, the Export Division is in discussion with suppliers to set up a centralised processing facility for ginger, including a steam distillation plant as well as a slicing machine.
He noted that the Jamaican ginger is known globally and while some of the largest spice manufacturers in the United States, Europe and Japan are familiar with the product, markets in Japan, India, United Kingdom and Germany seem to have a greater preference for local ginger.
Meanwhile, a centralised processing facility will also be developed for the turmeric market in Jamaica.
Currently, turmeric is grown in St. Elizabeth, Hanover, St. James, St. Thomas and Portland.
The Ministry of Agriculture is also setting up a nursery facility for nutmeg in St. Mary, which currently has 7,000 plants.

Positive! PR pon di case..doan tap atall!!!

[HL]

You know D1...Jamaicas' spice export should have been maximized from the 70's.

I guess it's better late than never.

The chinese will help to this end.

[Assasin]

you have time. Him only see the negitives.

[HL]

But Assasin, yuh wah tell me dat is ongle now them know dat them should grow more spices?

[Hortical]

It is a move in the right direction, and HL true we should have been promoting the growing of more spices for a long time.

[Don1]

what negitive is that??...my post was not positive enuff for u??

Gosh darn it!!

[Don1]

Tufton...doan tap atall!! Especially wid di press releases!!!

wi nice!!!

[Assasin]

It is not now. The fact is the farmers and others in the agriculture sector know this but we fail to put the effort behind this and use every excuse not to produce while the middlemen rob the farmer blind so there is no incentive to produce the product. It make no sense you produce the product if you are NOT getting paid for it and there is "no market", even when there is market.