Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A
by Patrick Maitland South Africa, Zambia and Zim-
Editor-The Agriculturalist babwe and are causing consider-
lready causing damages in the able crop damage in some
millions of dollars to crops in countries.
the Americas and Africa, the vora- The beet armyworm or small
cious Fall Armyworm are now mottled willow moth (Spodoptera
causing significant losses to farm- exigua) is one of the best-known
ers and threatening food security. agricultural pest insects. It is also
A member of the said family known as the asparagus fern cater-
Beet Armyworm has resurfaced pillar. It is native to Asia, but has
and cutting down acres of scallion been introduced worldwide and is
and onion. Farmers in St. Elizabeth now found almost anywhere its
and Manchester are among the many host crops are grown.
worst affected with some 297 farm- Minister without Portfolio in the
ers among those scallion and onion Minister of Industry, Commerce,
producers who completely lost Agriculture and Fisheries,
their crop and are forced to replant (MICAF) William J.C. Hutchinson
during the harvest season. (l) examines pheromone trap
The Rural Agricultural Develop-
used for capturing of beet
ment Authority (RADA) has re-
armyworm at the New
The opinions expressed in this newspaper, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Agriculturalist and its publishers. Please send your com-
ments or suggestions to editor@theagriculturalist.com. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all articles will be published.
Book your
complishment of a number of critical projects to include rehabilitation of canal networks in
St. Catherine and Clarendon to improve irrigation supply to farmers and the cleaning of
rivers and drains in St. Elizabeth for flood mitigation measures. He was very instrumental
advert in our
in ensuring the construction of the Project Office for the proposed Essex Valley Project in
record time and a cost-effective manner.
Denbigh 2017
He saw to the completion and commissioning into the operation of the Duff House Publisher & Editor:
Pumping Station in Manchester, a system that is providing irrigation service to over 400 Patrick Maitland
farmers.
feature
Consulting Editors:
Mr. Nembhard will also be remembered for being a fair-minded person and someone
Vincent Wright, Jairzenho Bailey
with whom all levels of staff could relate. Many will remember him as someone who acutely
aligned the operations of NIC with those of the nation to achieve its agricultural goals. He Produced & Published by:
was a gentleman in the real sense of the word, warm and engaging with staff members but
Agri Life Foundation Ltd
The Agriculturalist
never one for the spotlight.
The Board, Management, and Staff extend its sincere condolences to the family and AMC Complex,
Call 923-7471
friends of Mr. V. Oliver Nembhard. 188 Spanish Town Road,
May his soul rest in peace. Sadly missed by the family. Kingston 11, Jamaica, W.I.
Tel: (876) 923-7471 923-7428
agriculturalist@gmail.com
agriculturalist@gmail.com editor@theagriculturalist.com
www.theagriculturalist.com
4 THE AGRICULTURALIST JUNE 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
GROW
WHEREVER YOU GO
WITH HIPRO.MOBI!
Commodity Boards
food import bill by attaining self-sufficiency in
the production of crops.
to be Dissolved
T he state-controlled commodity boards which regu-
late coffee, cocoa, coconut and the spices- ginger,
pimento, etc., are being dissolved to fall under the ambit
of the recently enacted Jamaica Agricultural Com-
modities Regulatory Authority (JACRA).
Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries
Minister, Karl Samuda who was addressing the Coconut
Growers Annual General Meeting at the Jamaica Con-
ference Centre, on Saturday, May 6 said the new regu-
latory body that will span the Coconut Industry, the
Coffee Industry, the Cocoa Industry and the Spices In-
dustry, will be inaugurated no later than July 01, 2017.
Minister Samuda said that the primary objective of
the legislation is not to punish commodity boards, it is
not to impose restrictions on commodity boards, and it
is not out of suspicions of the activities of commodity
boards.
It is in keeping with international standards and
trends to put into the hands of key stakeholders their own
destiny. As we are today, we must find a mechanism
that is equitable, fair, and transparent and offers protec-
tion for you the actual growers of coconut, that is the ob-
jective and that has to be. So what was controlled by a
board no longer exist, the Minister explained.
He further explained that where the Boards con-
trolled everything that happens in the industry, JACRA
is only there to protect the quality and expansion of the
industries. The quality of everything that is exported,
manufactured out of coconut must be of the highest stan-
dard, so that when the name, comes from Jamaica and
bears our brand it is world class, the Minister said.
So, that is why you have to get registered under JACRA
so that the inspection and monitoring process for those
who are going to be manufacturing and shipping the
name Jamaica abroad, comply with what are the required
practices. It is not there to determine who you sell to,
when you sell, how much you sell, nothing of the kind
that has to be determined by you, he pointed out.
The Minister also assured the growers that legisla-
tions that have been put in place for the industry will not
be changed willy nilly, and that the interest of the
growers must be protected at all cost.
He added that the local coconut industry remains a
potentially lucrative one, capable of generating signifi-
cant export earnings and employment. This he said is
despite of the challenges the sector has encountered.
6 THE AGRICULTURALIST JUNE 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
INTERNATIONAL
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM JUNE 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 7
Organic conditions
boost flavonoids
and antioxidant
activity in onions
F ive years ago, a highly publicized
meta-analysis of more than 200 studies
concluded that organic food was no more
nutritious than conventionally grown food.
Since then, however, additional work has
suggested the organic foods contain more
health-benefiting phytochemicals. Now, re-
searchers have found that flavonoid levels
and antioxidant activity in organic onions
are higher than in conventional onions.
Their investigation is the longest-running
study to address the issue.
ORDER YOUR
COPY OF
TROPICAL
FARMERS
ALMANAC
2017
923-7471
editor@theagriculturalist.com
8 THE AGRICULTURALIST JUNE 2017 JUNE 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 9
Jamaica Dairy
Development B oard
J
amaica Dairy
Development B oard
Salute
to Dairy Sector
Stakeholders on
World Milk Day
T
he Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. The success of the Dairy Industry is being facilitated by the consistent
Karl Samuda, CD, MP, and the Chairman of the Jamaica Dairy efforts of these our vital partners, who continue to work for the
Development Board (JDDB), Mr. Donald Elvey, on behalf of the Board sustainable development of the Jamaican Dairy Industry, the agricul
of Directors of the JDDB, take this opportunity to salute all stakeholders tural sector and the economy of Jamaica as a whole.
of the Dairy Sector as we observe World Milk Day, Thursday
June 1, 2017. In observing World Milk Day 2017, the focus will be on improving the
nutritional levels of our Jamaican children. With this in mind, several
Our Dairy Sector stakeholders continue to perform a critical role in the of our partners will today embark on activities to promote milk among
revitalisation of the Jamaican Dairy Industry as we pursue the mission to children in primary schools across the country.
achieve the goal of increasing local milk production to 20 million litres by
the year 2020. Among these important sector stakeholders are: This initiative builds on the foundations laid by the previous activities
r %BJSZ'BSNFST undertaken by the Dairy Board arising from World Milk Day last
r %BJSZ'BSNFST0SHBOJTBUJPOT year to make milk available to hundreds of women at Antenatal
r .JML1SPDFTTPST Clinics and Health Centres in all parishes of Jamaica.
r 1BSUOFSTPGUIFi%SJOL3FBM.JML$BNQBJHOum$#(SPVQ
4FQSPE
Hon. Karl Samuda, CD, MP (SPVQ
/FXQPSU'FSTBOBOE+%%# 8FTBMVUFPVSQBSUOFSTBOE%BJSZ4FDUPSTUBLFIPMEFSTBOEFYUFOE
Minister of Industry, Commerce, r 'BSN4UPSFT our best wishes to all on World Milk Day 2017.
Agriculture and Fisheries r 4VQQMJFSTPG"HSJDVMUVSBM*OQVUT
r "OJNBM'FFE.BOVGBDUVSFST%JTUSJCVUPST HON. KARL SAMUDA, CD, MP
r .BOVGBDUVSFSTPG%BJSZ1SPEVDUT Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries
r 5IF'PPEBOE"HSJDVMUVSF0SHBOJ[BUJPO '"0
PGUIF6OJUFE/BUJPOT
r 5IF*OUFS"NFSJDBO*OTUJUVUFGPS$PPQFSBUJPOPO"HSJDVMUVSF **$"
MR. DONALD ELVEY
r "HSJDVMUVSBM&EVDBUJPO*OTUJUVUJPOT Chairman, Jamaica Dairy Development Board
r 5IF+BNBJDB$BUUMF#SFFEFST4PDJFUZ
r 5IF3VSBM"HSJDVMUVSBM%FWFMPQNFOU"VUIPSJUZ 3"%"
r +BNBJDB)m$MVCT
r 5IF3FTFBSDIBOE%FWFMPQNFOU%JWJTJPOPGUIF.JOJTUSZPG*OEVTUSZ
Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries
r 7FUFSJOBSZ4FSWJDFT%JWJTJPO
r 5IF$IJFG&YFDVUJWF0GGJDFS "DUJOH
UFDIOJDBMBOETVQQPSU
staff of the JDDB
r "OENBOZPUIFSJOEJWJEVBMTBOEPSHBOJTBUJPOT
10 THE AGRICULTURALIST JUNE 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM JUNE 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 11
Precise Nutrition
precisely!
Special Special
Formulation Formulation
T
Special Advisory for the Farmers of South Manchester and South St. Elizabeth
his serves as a special advi-
sory for farmers in South St.
Elizabeth, South Manchester
and their environs from the Min-
istry of Industry, Commerce,
Agriculture and Fisheries
(MICAF) and the Rural Agri-
cultural Development Authority
(RADA).
Significant increase in the
population of the beet army-
worm has been reported by
Typical mature larva of beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Huebner)