Mon | May 18, 2026

JACRA distributes over 200 pimento seedlings in St Thomas

Published:Friday | May 3, 2024 | 12:15 AM
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Acting Director General of JACRA Wayne Hunter and Trishanna Hamilton, a grade-six student of the Cedar Valley Primary School, plant a pimento seedling while Chevonne Aschute, acting coordinator for JACRA’s Advisory Services Unit, looks on.
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Acting Director General of JACRA Wayne Hunter and Trishanna Hamilton, a grade-six student of the Cedar Valley Primary School, plant a pimento seedling while Chevonne Aschute, acting coordinator for JACRA’s Advisory Services Unit, looks on.
Students from the Woburn Lawn Infant & Primary School were elated to receive their pimento seedling from JACRA.
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Students from the Woburn Lawn Infant & Primary School were elated to receive their pimento seedling from JACRA.
Acting Director General of JACRA Wayne Hunter hands over a pimento seedling to a farmer from Bethel Gap in St Thomas.
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Acting Director General of JACRA Wayne Hunter hands over a pimento seedling to a farmer from Bethel Gap in St Thomas.
Acting Director General of JACRA Wayne Hunter officially launches the Pimento Seedling Distribution Project alongside students from the Cedar Valley Primary, Bethel Gap Basic, and Woburn Lawn Infant & Primary Schools.
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Acting Director General of JACRA Wayne Hunter officially launches the Pimento Seedling Distribution Project alongside students from the Cedar Valley Primary, Bethel Gap Basic, and Woburn Lawn Infant & Primary Schools.
Chevonne Aschute, acting coordinator for JACRA’s Advisory Services Unit, shares a presentation on the pimento life cycle to farmers in St Thomas.
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Chevonne Aschute, acting coordinator for JACRA’s Advisory Services Unit, shares a presentation on the pimento life cycle to farmers in St Thomas.
More than 200 pimento seedlings were delivered to the Bethel Gap AME Church in St Thomas for distribution to 43 farmers.
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More than 200 pimento seedlings were delivered to the Bethel Gap AME Church in St Thomas for distribution to 43 farmers.
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Farmers in Bethel Gap, St Thomas, were treated to a much-needed boost last Tuesday following the distribution of more than 200 pimento seedlings by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) as part of its efforts to revitalise the pimento industry.

Forty-three farmers received a total of 215 seedlings (five each) during the day’s activities, and another 85 seedlings are to be distributed to an additional 17 farmers in the coming weeks. This will bring the total number of seedlings to be distributed in the area to 300.

“Pimento, in recent times, has seen tremendous growth in the international market as well as the local market. So JACRA thought now was the best time for our farmers to tap into that market, with a boost in the commodity’s production,” said Wayne Hunter, acting director general.

“As such, the programme is of no cost to the farmers – it is coming out of JACRA’s commodity development budget. And we will continue to distribute as much seedlings as we can across the island. We only ask that the farmers dig the holes for planting,” Hunter added.

According to research conducted by JACRA, Jamaica’s pimento sector currently suffers from declining production due partly to aged trees, which have passed their peak production years and unsustainable harvesting practices threatening the longevity of the sector. This, in turn, has affected Jamaica’s ability to meet global demands for the spice, which currently stands at approximately 3,000 metric tons per annum while the island only produces about 190 metric tons per annum.

“The market is open, vibrant, and ready for us. But what we have seen is that we just need to increase production. There are companies like McCormick and Big Tree Spice in need of Jamaican pimento, but we just don’t have enough to give them,” Hunter told farmers during the distribution ceremony.

Through the Pimento Seedlings Distribution Project, JACRA aims to give farmers across the island 25 seedlings each, giving the sector room to grow and improve pimento production in the coming years.

“We would like to take this opportunity to encourage all of our farmers to look down the road for the return of pimento,” Hunter said.