Agri shows reformed

Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

The annual agriculture and food show to be held at Jamaica College next Saturday will be the first test of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) yesterday.

The MoU is geared towards charting the rebranding and restructuring of local agricultural shows which fall under the aegis of the ministry.

The event, dubbed Agro-fest, is to be hosted by the Kingston and St Andrew Association of Branch Societies of the JAS, and will reflect the new standards agreed on by the parties.

Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton had expressed dissatisfaction with recent agriculture shows.

lost focus

"We have been concerned that over time, these shows have lost focus," the minister told a press conference at his Old Hope Road offices where he, along with JAS president Glendon Harris and first vice-president Senator Norman Grant, signed the document.

The main aim, according to Tufton, is to refocus these agricultural shows in a way that will get them back to their core functions, and hopefully, in the process, stimulate, promote, and enhance the sector.

"Non-agricultural items that have traditionally and increasingly become a major component of the shows will be disallowed for future shows. So this thing of having haberdashery, plastics made in other countries, or local, as being a major feature of the show is something that we intend to cut out based on the agreement going forward," the minister declared.