Tufton

Jamaica's farmers continue to face serious losses to praedial thieves, even as Minister of Agriculture Dr Christopher Tufton pleads for cultivators to produce more.

But many are staying away from the sector or refusing to invest more since praedial larceny has become a billion-dollar industry.

A receipt-book system, implemented during the reign of the previous People's National Party administration, was championed as a tracking strategy to inhibit praedial larceny.

But the governing Jamaica Labour Party has roundly criticised the system as a failure.

Today, we begin our special spotlight on the bane of the agriculture industry.

Full story in business section.