Agro-Invest poised to implement industry development plans
Published:Friday | March 2, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Activities undertaken by the two year-old Agro-Investment Corporation (Agro-Invest) have so far resulted in a capital injection of J$438 million into agricultural and social infrastructure, as well as providing employment for about 654 persons.
It has also facilitated the injection of more than J$181 million in grants to
the agricultural sector, according to Julian Douglas, Agro-Invest's director of
property management and development, who spoke with the Financial Gleaner this week.
In addition, it has started to earn rental income from more than 100,000 square
feet of space at the Agricultural Marketing Corporation complex at Spanish Town
Road, Kingston, as well as outstations in Wait-A-Bit Trelawny; Christiana, Manchester;
Browns Town, St Ann, and Guys Hill, St Catherine.
Douglas said the facilities contain secured grounds for stripping containers, packing
houses, chill rooms, warehouses and offices. It has an occupancy level of 86 per
cent with 37 tenants, including 20 exporters with about 250 workers.
Agro-Invest grew out of the merger of the Agricultural Development Corporation
and Agricultural Support Services Productive Projects Fund Limited.
It now operates as the business facilitation arm of the Ministry of Agricultural
and Fisheries, with responsibility for investment promotion and facilitation, and
project and market development.
The objective of the agency is to contribute to quadrupling the output and value
of Jamaican food products.
Its programmes are aimed, generally, at reducing a perception of lack of supply
competency within the agricultural industry, given, for example, that the tourism
sector imports as much as 52 per cent of fresh produce.
The local food import bill accounted for about US$886 million when the agency was
created in 2009. Target objectives include import substitution and development of
domestic market for fresh and processed foods, and export development for current
and niche products. Douglas said the agency has completed several industry development
plans aimed at boosting production of hot peppers, yam, pigs, sheep, pineapple and
rice.
"Yam is the leading non-traditional export crop, earning approximately J$1.7 billion
(US$17.8m) in 2010," he said.
For pineapple, a plan has been prepared, production trials conducted and commercial
production commenced. Douglas said 198,000 plantlets have been procured and distributed
to 53 investors.
Investment in sheep production is capitalized at $11m, and for the rice industry,
200 hectares has been planted for seed production.
"This will ensure the expansion and sustainability of the local rice industry,"
Douglas said. Under this programme, more than 100 farmers, and 30 extension and
research staff have been trained and supported in the cultivation of rice paddy.
It provides employment for 40 persons.
A stakeholder group, the Jamaica Rice Producers' Association has also been created
to funnel assistance needed in the development of the industry.
In addition, small investors have brought 250 hectares into production of condiments,
vegetables, rice and sheep at Amity Hall, St. Catherine, and Ebony Park and Rhymesbury
in Clarendon. Agro-Invest controls more than 9,000 acres of government-owned agricultural
lands, 3,000 acres of which have been allocated to small agricultural investors.
Douglas said the agency's Minard cattle farm breeding programme has been progressing
in its aim to increase beef breeds such as the Jamaica Red Poll, Jamaica Black and
the Jamaica Brahman. He said that although planning is completed for three agro-parks,
the project is yet to be officially launched.
The parks are aimed at facilitating production through a land-lease arrangement,
with provision made for infrastructural development, including irrigation and land
preparation, as well as technical and management support.