Domestic crop production showing continued growth

Preliminary estimates for the second quarter of 2022 show domestic crop production growing to 219,667 tonnes, an increase of 7.4 per cent over the corresponding quarter of 2021.

This follows production growth of 10.4 per cent in the first quarter, from January to March.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Pearnel Charles Jr., said this performance represents the government's commitment to sustain gains and reflects one of the best-performing quarters on record. 

“We commend our farmers, fishers and all stakeholders as we display the continued recovery and growth of the sector coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, with increasing demand from both local and export markets,” he told parliamentarians on Wednesday. 

The main crop groups showing increases in the first quarter were yams, plantains, sweet and regular corn, vegetables and potatoes. 

Central parishes remain the top producers with St. Elizabeth contributing 40,889.5 tonnes to the total national production volume, followed by 31,870.3 tonnes from Trelawny.

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