St Thomas farmers receive help from RADA

Jody-Gaye Francis, Gleaner Writer

MORANT BAY, St Thomas:

LOCATED IN the eastern end of the island, St Thomas is an agricultural parish producing crops such as sugar cane, banana, ackee, breadfruit, among others. Some of these produce are exported while others are sold to other parishes and the well-known Coronation Market in Kingston.

The Rural Agricultural Develop-ment Authority (RADA), in an effort to provide assistance to farmers in the parish, has implemented several practices and programmes, such as the rental of small tools and a tilling service to assist farmers with land tillage. In order to access these services, farmers should contact the RADA parish office in Belfast, Morant Bay. The RADA parish office also offers farmer training in value and production.

Caswell Glover, RADA parish manager, announced that the RADA office will receive 5,000 new farmer identification cards by the end of October. Glover urges all farmers in the parish to become registered even if previously registered by the Coffee Growers' Association, the Citrus Growers' Association, the Banana Growers' Association or other similar organisations. Registration takes place at the RADA parish office. "Information will be collected about farmers, their farm holdings (lands, crops and livestock) and their agricultural practices," said Glover.

"Farmers are needed for the Fruit Tree Crop Project," says Glover. Developed by the ministry of agriculture, the Fruit Tree Crop Project aims to produce some non-traditional orchard crops such as ackee, soursop, naseberry, breadfruit and cashew to supply the fresh and agroprocessing demand of local and export markets. Assistance is being provided by RADA to start and maintain these orchards.

Farmers interested in obtaining seeds for the RADA Fruit Tree Crop Project are asked to contact the parish office; Belfast, Morant Bay PO; telephone: 982-2234/982-2205/982-2496; fax: 982-1443; email: radathomadmin@cwjamaica.com