Jamaica at 60 | St Bess farmers want new processing facility
Published:Monday | February 28, 2022 | 12:05 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer
ST ELIZABETH is known the world over as the ‘breadbasket’ of Jamaica, producing a large quantity of ground provisions, root crops, fruits, vegetables, tree crops, sugar, rum, coffee and ginger.
In the early days, like most parishes, sugar cane was the main crop that was produced, especially in the north of the parish. However, with the closure of Holland Sugar Factory, and the decline in production at Appleton Estate, many people in the parish have now turned to subsistence farming.
“In the north, the plantation economy is structured around the sugar factory, but the mass production is no more. This is where all commerce is generated. Since the decline of sugar there has been plans to help the farmers to look at different crops for production. However, cane is still being planted in the Siloah, Aberdeen, Williamsfield, and Balaclava areas,” Hendricks said.
This cane, he said, is being transported to Frome in Westmoreland, which is to the detriment of the people living in these areas. “They do not benefit because the production is taking place outside of the parish,” he said.
While farmers on the northern belt are seeking to diversify their crops for production, on the southern border, with Black River to one end, Treasure Beach, Flagaman, Bull Savannah, Junction, Lititz, most people plant vegetable crops.
“Farming has been the prosperity for most of these communities. They know the tricks and trade of coming together to make wealth. The middle men have also been successful, as they buy from the farmers, and sell to the hotels,” Hendricks said.
The main crops now grown include tomatoes, watermelon, carrot, scallion, onions, sweet peppers and tobacco. Corn is also grown and is primarily used as livestock feed.
However, inaccessibility to potable water and sources of irrigation has festered discontent among residents of this agricultural parish for many years.
“Water is important for the southern belt of the parish, but it is very scarce. The farmers practise what is called mulching, and every so often, they must purchase water for their farms. They use the grass to collect the moisture, and they supplement it with whatever water they can,” he said.
However, with the number of crops being produced, Hendricks wants to see another factory to transform agricultural produce from primary to secondary production.
He believes additional factory space would reduce crop wastage. He cited pineapples and tomatoes as two of the main crops that would benefit from a new processing facility. Two processing plants already exist in St Elizabeth.