Poultry company wants to reap training benefit

EBONY PARK, St Catherine:

The Caribbean Broilers (CB) Group on Tuesday officially broke ground for a state-of-the-art pig-rearing facility at Ebony Park, which will benefit from its expertise in that particular area. The CB Group has partnered with experts in Canada to develop and improve the pig breed for pork production in Jamaica, through Newport Genetics, its research and development arm.

Having a first-rate research facility is important to the production process, as it helps to determine the best pig breeds and correct feed ratios necessary for maximising growth, yield and ultimately, profits, says Corporate Affairs Manager Dr Keith Amiel.

"We want to share the knowledge we have learnt over the years and be a part of training the next generation of farmers by giving them not only the theory but (also) the hands-on experience in commercial pig production and First-World practices," Amiel said.

Need to change perception

Noting that his company wants to change the perception that Jamaica's agricultural sector is an employer of unskilled workers, he warned about the danger of allowing this belief to prevail.

"It would send the wrong message that the majority of Jamaica's labour force is low-skilled or unskilled and uncompetitive, since the agricultural sector is the single-largest employer of labour on the island," the CB Group senior executive charged.

The idea, he said, is to make sure that all people working in the agricultural sector are formally trained and certified for the work they are now doing. In fact, this was a strategy tried and proven by the company, given its deliberate and strategic effort over the years to invest in a highly skilled workforce, to utilise the latest technology, and incorporate the most modern equipment in its many operations.

It is for these reasons, according to Amiel, that the company has invested millions to make its facilities among the most modern and efficiently operated by some of the most capable professionals in the Caribbean.

This return on its investments continues to pay off for the CB Group, as well its clients. "All of our plants meet and exceed the highest international quality standards, guaranteeing that our products, from poultry to pork to feed manufacturing, are of the highest quality. Our investment in developing the skills of our employees has contributed significantly to our success as a vibrant and competitive agribusiness operating here in Jamaica," stated Amiel.

Amiel says the successes to be derived from investing in agricultural workers will redound to the benefit of the society at large.

"We at the CB Group believe in education as means to improve the lives of our people and believe that agriculture can become an important factor in job creation and the development of our economy," he noted.

christopher.serju@gleanerjm.com

CAPTION: Dr Carolyn Hayle (second right), executive director of HEART Trust/NTA, seems very pleased as she examines the MOU between her organisation and the Caribbean Broilers Group whose CEO Mark Haskins (left) and manager, corporate affairs, Dr Keith Amiel, look on following the signing at the Ebony Park facility on Tuesday. Also sharing in the occasion is Karen Gayle, director of HEART Trust/NTA's southwestern region. - Photo by Christopher Serju