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Former president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, Opposition Senator Norman Grant on Friday urged Agriculture Minister Christopher Tufton to resist any pressure to sign duty waivers for cassava imports, warning that there could be a glut which would cripple local production.
According to Grant, since the administration announced its decision to focus on building the industry, there have been efforts to short-circuit the prospects of local farmers.
"I know he is under pressure to sign duty waivers to allow the importation of cassava to deal with certain emergency demands that now exists and I am supporting the move that he should not allow it," Grant said, noting that cassava was always a critical product.
"As a result of his push, a lot of people are now planting cassava, which is going to come into crop in another three to four months, and (if) you allow the importers to bring it in, when the crop comes in there is going to be a glut," he warned.
"I am going to back him on this one.We have to stand our ground. I know the lobby is going to be strong but he shouldn't [and] we are going to support him," he added.
Grant made the call during debate on a motion he brought to the Upper House urging the Government to implement policies and programmes to support the growth and consumption of locally grown produce. The senator also called for a committee to be established to identify the cause of the continued increase in imports over the last 25 years and to make recommendations to reverse the trend.
In the meantime, the senator said Jamaica needed to triple its production dramatically by 2013 if it is to significantly reduce dependence on imports.
"We need to get our production level in short order up to 800,000 (or) 900,000 metric tonnes annually and continue to grow this incrementally thereafter.
"If this is done, not only would the economy enjoy significant growth through the increased production of agricultural items, but we could be rebuilding the rural economy, slowing down the rural to urban drift and dealing with continuous escalation in crime," Grant said.
Commenting further on the appetite of Jamaicans for foreign foods, the senator said the challenges now being faced in the coffee production sector were also cause for concern and suggested that a special cess be imposed on imported coffee. The monies from that cess would be placed in a special fund which would be used to resuscitate the country's coffee crop and fields.
According to Grant, the market has been flooded with imported coffee because of the challenges now being faced in the sector. He said given the proliferation of overseas brands in the market, Jamaica's coffee product should be given a fair chance to compete.
Meanwhile, he said in order to save the country from importing itself to death, there should be no further cuts to the support for agricultural production.
"We know cash is tight, but look at those sectors that give you the best opportunity to take you through the difficulties and you have to take some very pointed and strategic decisions that you are going to stick to it.
"We can't be serious about import substitution and increased production when we are going to cut support for the School Gardening Programme, the Jamaica Agricultural Society and the Backyard Gardening Programme," Grant said.
"These are fundamental programmes that will go to the heart of increasing our production and make us less dependable on imports. I am urging the Government to correct this in the upcoming budget and for periods beyond," he added.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz2SqBpRNGI
According to Grant, since the administration announced its decision to focus on building the industry, there have been efforts to short-circuit the prospects of local farmers.
"I know he is under pressure to sign duty waivers to allow the importation of cassava to deal with certain emergency demands that now exists and I am supporting the move that he should not allow it," Grant said, noting that cassava was always a critical product.
"As a result of his push, a lot of people are now planting cassava, which is going to come into crop in another three to four months, and (if) you allow the importers to bring it in, when the crop comes in there is going to be a glut," he warned.
"I am going to back him on this one.We have to stand our ground. I know the lobby is going to be strong but he shouldn't [and] we are going to support him," he added.
Grant made the call during debate on a motion he brought to the Upper House urging the Government to implement policies and programmes to support the growth and consumption of locally grown produce. The senator also called for a committee to be established to identify the cause of the continued increase in imports over the last 25 years and to make recommendations to reverse the trend.
In the meantime, the senator said Jamaica needed to triple its production dramatically by 2013 if it is to significantly reduce dependence on imports.
"We need to get our production level in short order up to 800,000 (or) 900,000 metric tonnes annually and continue to grow this incrementally thereafter.
"If this is done, not only would the economy enjoy significant growth through the increased production of agricultural items, but we could be rebuilding the rural economy, slowing down the rural to urban drift and dealing with continuous escalation in crime," Grant said.
Commenting further on the appetite of Jamaicans for foreign foods, the senator said the challenges now being faced in the coffee production sector were also cause for concern and suggested that a special cess be imposed on imported coffee. The monies from that cess would be placed in a special fund which would be used to resuscitate the country's coffee crop and fields.
According to Grant, the market has been flooded with imported coffee because of the challenges now being faced in the sector. He said given the proliferation of overseas brands in the market, Jamaica's coffee product should be given a fair chance to compete.
Meanwhile, he said in order to save the country from importing itself to death, there should be no further cuts to the support for agricultural production.
"We know cash is tight, but look at those sectors that give you the best opportunity to take you through the difficulties and you have to take some very pointed and strategic decisions that you are going to stick to it.
"We can't be serious about import substitution and increased production when we are going to cut support for the School Gardening Programme, the Jamaica Agricultural Society and the Backyard Gardening Programme," Grant said.
"These are fundamental programmes that will go to the heart of increasing our production and make us less dependable on imports. I am urging the Government to correct this in the upcoming budget and for periods beyond," he added.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz2SqBpRNGI
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