Transform AMC building in Christiana into farmers’ market

THE EDITOR, Madam:

For many years, Christiana in North East Manchester has cultivated a vibrant informal farmers market every Tuesday. This tradition has served as a vital economic and social lifeline for the surrounding farming communities. However, it has long been without a permanent, designated location. The market has sprawled through the streets of the town and, more recently, has drifted to the outskirts, including areas near Crossroads Christiana and even as far as Chudleigh.

This ad hoc arrangement has significant logistical and safety challenges. It hampers traffic flow, limits vendor organisation, and fails to offer the basic infrastructure needed to support a thriving market environment – such as proper sanitation, shelter from the elements, and designated areas for specific types of produce or goods.

It is both timely and practical, that the Ministry of Agriculture considers rehabilitating and repurposing the abandoned Agricultural Marketing Corporation (AMC) in Christiana. This facility has been locked for years, despite having ample space and strategic positioning to accommodate the very market that continues to seek a home.

Transforming the AMC building into a formal farmers market would yield numerous benefits:

– Vendors and farmers would enjoy improved access to buyers in a structured environment that fosters more consistent trade and income.

. A centralised market would allow farmers to better collaborate, compare prices, and negotiate collectively, which can help establish fairer and more competitive price points for their produce.

. By centralising produce sales, consumers would have easier access to fresh, local goods, supporting the “eat what we grow” mandate.

. Relocating the market from congested streets would ease traffic, reduce hazards, and promote cleanliness.

. A structured marketplace could become a hub for agricultural extension services, training, and even tourism-related commerce.

. Reviving the AMC building ensures responsible stewardship of state resources by turning an idle asset into a functional economic driver.

The Ministry should act decisively and demonstrate support for rural agricultural communities by transforming this vision into reality. Christiana’s farmers and vendors deserve the dignity of a proper space to sell and buy their goods – one that reflects the immense value they bring to the region and to Jamaica’s food system at large.

PAUL LYN