The yam-producing parish of Trelawny can now boast a J$16 million yam packaging facility which the Ministry of Agriculture refurbished in a bid to boost employment and agriculture within the parish.
According to the Minister of Agriculture Christopher Tufton, the facility comes at a time when Jamaica has increased its production in yam since 2008 and continues to service international markets with this food item.
"In 2009 we exported J$1.5 billion worth of yams which underscores the need to provide infrastructure and support to yam farmers across the island. In that same year 124,000 tonnes of yams was produce which is a 20 percent increase when compared to 2008" Min. Tufton revealed at the official launch of the Wait-A-Yam
House in Wait-A-Bit, Trelawny recently.
In keeping with the government' thrust to enter into partnerships with private sector investors, the Yam Packaging Facility was leased to Sure Jamaica Export Limited (an exporting company which trades in Jamaican fresh produce and processed foods to the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom).
He further added of all the yam producing parishes in Jamaica, Trelawny ranks the highest "and this facility was appropriately placed as it will service farmers in Manchester, Clarendon and Trelawny".
Chief executive officer for the Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA) Al Powell encouraged the gathering of yam farmers that more attention has to be paid to the production and marketing of the product as the competition is not only local but international.
"The landscape is such that we are now competing with farmers in South and Central America so it is timely for us to boost our agriculture production and that's why RADA is here to offer you year round technical support" Powell noted.
The facility will serve as a collection point for yam produced for local and export markets in Trelawny and surrounding area. Sure Jamaica Exports Limited intends to ship approximately 29,000 boxes of yellow yam from this new facility in the first year with the intention of 18,000 boxes within five years
According to the Minister of Agriculture Christopher Tufton, the facility comes at a time when Jamaica has increased its production in yam since 2008 and continues to service international markets with this food item.
"In 2009 we exported J$1.5 billion worth of yams which underscores the need to provide infrastructure and support to yam farmers across the island. In that same year 124,000 tonnes of yams was produce which is a 20 percent increase when compared to 2008" Min. Tufton revealed at the official launch of the Wait-A-Yam
House in Wait-A-Bit, Trelawny recently.
In keeping with the government' thrust to enter into partnerships with private sector investors, the Yam Packaging Facility was leased to Sure Jamaica Export Limited (an exporting company which trades in Jamaican fresh produce and processed foods to the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom).
He further added of all the yam producing parishes in Jamaica, Trelawny ranks the highest "and this facility was appropriately placed as it will service farmers in Manchester, Clarendon and Trelawny".
Chief executive officer for the Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA) Al Powell encouraged the gathering of yam farmers that more attention has to be paid to the production and marketing of the product as the competition is not only local but international.
"The landscape is such that we are now competing with farmers in South and Central America so it is timely for us to boost our agriculture production and that's why RADA is here to offer you year round technical support" Powell noted.
The facility will serve as a collection point for yam produced for local and export markets in Trelawny and surrounding area. Sure Jamaica Exports Limited intends to ship approximately 29,000 boxes of yellow yam from this new facility in the first year with the intention of 18,000 boxes within five years
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