School-feeding programme disappoints

Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

BUSINESSMAN TONY Freckleton says he is now looking into the possibility of having another company package local fruit purée in bulk, which would be off-loaded to Nutrition Products Limited (NPL) to do as it pleases. According to Freckleton, his company has been coming under pressure from farmers who anticipated that they would have been earning money through the project long ago.

"Fortunately, we have been in touch with the farmers from time to time telling them that it is coming, but we never really told them to plant anything. They came here right after Christmas and I gave them a low-down on it. We are talking about taking off 20,000 pounds of watermelon from the farmers a day just for a one-day run," the enthusiastic Jamaica Exotic Flavours and Essences (JEFE) managing director pointed out.

Initially, the idea was for JEFE to use June plum, melon, and cucumber purchased from farmers in Bull Savannah and neighbouring areas to produce purée for the four flavours which would be sold to NPL in bulk. That company, in turn, would convert the raw material into bag juices, which it would distribute to schools islandwide, at least one day of the week. However, things hit a snag when NPL demanded a refrigerated container to store the bulk juice, and a transfer pump and other equipment to facilitate the storage-packaging operation. NPL, which is a government entity, was not prepared to make any financial investment in the project, The Gleaner understands, insisting on being paid for the services it provides, as with any other business venture.

In confirming the delay, Dr Derrick Deslandes, chief marketing consultant to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority said that some funding had finally been identified which should, hopefully, see the project started by the end of February.

FOUND money internally

After failing to source funding from a technology fund the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries had, he said, "found some money internally" to put out a procurement exercise, and the company which won the bid to supply and install equipment was now moving to get things going.

"Barring anymore surprises, we should be ready to roll in anther six weeks. I am being very optimistic," Deslandes declared. He said the company did not have in place a homogeniser - a key piece of equipment - and this would have to be sourced from overseas.

Deslandes was slated to meet with Orville Lewinson, general manager of NPL, last Monday to work out problems stalling the project. But when contacted this week by The Gleaner, he could not say when the project would get under way.

Deslandes explained that after providing some funding to JEFE, which will handle the juice extraction, the project was stalled by a demand from NPL for a range of equipment to facilitate its role in the packing and distribution of the bag juice.

Said he: "Overall, the plan was to request $15 million from the (technology) fund to fully equip JEFE and also provide working capital because JEFE doesn't have enough money generated to buy the raw material from farmers. JEFE does that now but in a very limited way. The idea was to provide them with enough working capital so they would be able buy the raw material on a timely basis and store it."

Add to that the refrigerated container, and equipment such as a transfer pump and homogeniser, as well as a standby generator demanded by NPL.

However, when The Gleaner spoke with Robert Levy, chairman of the Science and Technology Fund, on Sunday, he said he had not seen any applications from Deslandes or anyone else with regard to the specific project. Levy explained that given the nature of the project as explained to him, it appeared to be something that would qualify for funding.