Beef processing plant for St James

Clarke

A BEEF processing plant is to be established at Amity Hall, St. James in a bid to rescue the island's beef industry Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke said last week.

He told more than 200 farmers attending the annual general meeting of the St. James Association of Branch Societies of the Jamaica Agricultural Society that the facility will process beef for the CARICOM market.

He explained that currently, many countries in the wider Caribbean were under-producing beef for their individual markets and that Jamaica would be looking to tap into this "lucrative market with quality processed beef". "For us to get moving in terms of beef, we must set up proper processing facilities," he said.

The Minister reminded the farmers who are faced with increasing competition from imported beef that it was not possible for Government to impose a complete ban on the meat. "You have to open up your markets if you want access to other countries' markets," he told them while pointing to the regulations of the World Trade Organisation and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

He urged the cattle farmers to be patient as representation had been made to the Development Bank of Jamaica which has agreed to undertake the funding of the project. He did not say how soon the facility would be established.

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