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Home | Mechanisation Boost for St. Thomas as Agricultural Momentum Builds
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green (left), and Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) St. Thomas Parish Manager, Errard Stephenson, view vibrant displays mounted at the St. Thomas Agricultural Show, held recently at Rudolph Elder Park in Morant Bay.
With St. Thomas showing strong agricultural momentum, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, has announced mechanical support for the parish, including a new tractor and an onion harvester.
Speaking recently during the parish’s agricultural show at Rudolph Elder Park in Morant Bay, Mr. Green disclosed that four additional tractors will be added to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority’s (RADA) fleet by the end of July.
“I am committing to St. Thomas… that one of the new tractors that we will get will come to this parish for you to continue the good work that you are doing in our agricultural space,” Mr. Green stated.
Meanwhile, the Minister said the onion harvester to be provided for St. Thomas will aid in mechanising the harvesting process and significantly improve farmers’ efficiency, while hailing them for producing 60 per cent of Jamaica’s yield last year.
Mr. Green further revealed that more than 30 pieces of equipment will be brought into the island to support the Ministry’s modernisation efforts, “so that our farmers can do what they do well and better… and St. Thomas will be a big beneficiary of that.”
The Minister revealed that St. Thomas is also the “biggest producer of East Indian and Julie mangoes, and the biggest supporter of the exportation of mangoes” — while also ranking among the top parishes for cassava production.
“In fact, last year we harvested over 120 hectares of cassava, engaging over 180 farmers… and this is despite them having a tough year with Hurricane Beryl and Tropical Storm Rafael,” he highlighted.
Mr. Green stated that under the New FACE of Food initiative, “we are embarking on a new era of agriculture… to mechanise agriculture.”
The acronym FACE stands for Food Security, Agribusiness Development, Climate-Smart Technologies and Export Expansion, a strategic framework aimed at transforming Jamaica’s agricultural sector.
“St. Thomas is doing well. My job, as Minister, is to see how we can make St. Thomas [and other agricultural regions] do even better. We have to be more productive… we have to get more from each acre,” Minister Green emphasised.
