Letter of the Day | Cannabis farmers facing a rough time

THE EDITOR, Madam:

We all as farmers have experienced the devastation of the farming sector after the passing of Hurricane Beryl. We have heard the minister of agriculture, and the minister spoke to material help being extended to the various farming production sectors, including poultry, and greenhouse farmers. I speak on behalf of the licensed ganja farmers, some of whom use greenhouses while others farm in open field.

Under the umbrella of Ganja Growers and Producers Association of Jamaica (GGPAJ), we are the only licensed farmers in Jamaica.

To begin with, ganja farming needs a lot of money. The cost of start-up, application fees, licence fees, coupled with the strictures of the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA), makes this sector as the most expensive agricultural venture in Jamaica.

The Government of Jamaica is charging various fees to plant cannabis. The licensed farmers are compliant in every way; they are planting at their expense to keep the Government compliant with the UN international narcotic board rules and regulations.

Yet, farmers are left without banking, or insurance (crop and liability) access.

We have suffered millions of dollars in damage from crop and infrastructure and at no time have we heard the minister of agriculture mention the cannabis sector as one of the beneficiaries of disaster relief. If he did, we missed it.

The value of plant medicine, historically known, and the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal purposes, has never been given support by the current administration. In fact, while the industry was on the downward trajectory, the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce permitted the importation of ganja into Jamaica without an apology to the local producers.

Currently, the licensed farmers are weighing what options are out there, and it is very clear that giving up their licences and finding alternative sources of income is the most favourable course of action.

The CLA must be revamped and the concept revised. But first there needs to be a change of leadership and approach within the organisation.

Given the barriers, is it a case where farmers who grow ganja will do so without licence or proper regulations. Is this what the Government wants?

ORVILLE SILVERA

Former President

GGPAJ