Stop flying in food with tourists

[Jangle]

Jamaican hotels have been urged to curb their appetite for imported foods and to build linkages with local farmers and distributors to provide tourists with island fare.

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Audley Shaw said that his ministry would be implementing “a strategic plan” to increase local production in order to better supply the growing tourism market.

“We must get to the point where our tourists are fed with predominantly Jamaican produce. We must stop flying the food on the plane with the tourists,” said Shaw, who was speaking at the official signing of a management agreement between local company the Amaterra Group and Marriott International at the Hard Rock Café, Montego Bay, on Wednesday.

The minister disclosed that a concerted effort would be made to integrate agriculture with tourism but did not offer specifics on how his vision would be implemented.


http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/n...mport-appetite

[Lazie]

Jamaican hotels have been urged to curb their appetite for imported foods and to build linkages with local farmers and distributors to provide tourists with island fare.

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Audley Shaw said that his ministry would be implementing “a strategic plan” to increase local production in order to better supply the growing tourism market.

“We must get to the point where our tourists are fed with predominantly Jamaican produce. We must stop flying the food on the plane with the tourists,” said Shaw, who was speaking at the official signing of a management agreement between local company the Amaterra Group and Marriott International at the Hard Rock Café, Montego Bay, on Wednesday.

The minister disclosed that a concerted effort would be made to integrate agriculture with tourism but did not offer specifics on how his vision would be implemented.


http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/n...mport-appetite

From my days of working in the industry I always asked why the need to import food items. If it is a matter of not meeting demand, then come up with a plan.

[Sir X]

That plan has been around from the 9Os.Shaw not saying nothing new.

[Assasin]

The plan has been around but nothing has been done.

It is since 2009 some things are been bought and they match local producers in a portal for hotel and Tufton started the farmers market where hotels could go and buy in bulk but a lot more need to be done.

Let us see if Shaw can live up to his word. That would be a benefit and I said tourist are just additional clients to sell to.

[Assasin]

Also McNeil did a good job of getting people local producers involved.

[HL]

A year or so ago, I attended a function where Minister Bartlet was key note speaker.

His topic was as noted in your post.

Maybe the greatest reason for lack of investment in farming to satisfy the hotel industry is praedial larceny.

[Assasin]

Part of the problem but also some crops are seasonal and glut and starvation factor so there have to be storage or canning etc. My fisherman bethren said if he could store his fish he could catch a lot more but light bill is too expensive.

Hotels are now buying some local furniture which is good but we have to make sure the standard remain high.

[Bricktop]

gassan azan came up with a plan...he leased 400 acres of land in bernard lodge from the GOJ for a mega agricultural project to address food security & the importation of produce...and on cue he is now being villified as a plantation owner & that he & the GOJ are complicit in stealing prime lands & that he is displacing small farmers & on & on it goes...welcome to jamaica...where we have a problem for every solution...

[Jangle]

Logistic development — a catalyst for driving economies

At the opening ceremony for Celebration Brand's Limited's (CBL) Logic One warehouse on Tuesday (August 20), Anthony Hylton, Member of Parliament (MP) for Western St Andrew, expressed elation that his vision for logistic development within the country has now started to take root.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/busin...2?profile=1056

[HL]

Yessir!!

Das why I am staying far from any local investments.

We are our worst enemy: