WITH PREPARATIONS in high gear for this year's staging of the Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show, the agriculture sector is recording an impressive 25 per cent growth for the first quarter of the year.
"The first quarter agriculture (production) grew by 25 per cent and this quarter I expect no less," Agriculture and Lands Minister Roger Clarke announced at the official launch of the island's premiere agricultural show held at the Jamaica Broilers Group headquarters in McCooks Pen, St. Catherine on Tuesday. "All we need to do is to go down on our knees and pray sincerely that we don't have any hurricanes," he urged the gathering.
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT
This is a significant improvement over the same period last year when production nosedived in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan which devastated many farms across the island in 2004. This was further compounded by a prolonged drought which followed in the early months of 2005.
Mr. Clarke attributed the growth of the sector to the resilience of the farmers whom he described as the country's unsung heroes.
This year's Denbigh show, which is being held under the theme: 'Agriculture and Rural Development Creating the Future by Investing in the Present' is projected to cost about $25 million and is expected to attract close to 100,000 patrons locally and regionally from August 5-7.
In deciding on the theme, Senator Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, said it was "timely as we are always of the view that agriculture and rural development is the safe passage that the country can take for sustained economic development and prosperity."
Two new additions to this year's show will include a designated children's play area and a scheduled bus service to be operated by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company from Kingston to Denbigh.
The judging of parish pavilions, which was postponed last year, will be brought back on board with the usual champion and young farmer competitions, banana and coffee farm competitions and the nightly entertainment package.
The usual farm queen coronation will, however, be missing this year as the organisers have decided to make it into a separate event to be held on June 25 at the Louise Bennett-Coverly Theatre in Kingston.
