By Damion Mitchell, Farmers Weekly Co-ordinator 
Carmen Edwards (right), home economics officer at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, explains the process of making pancake syrup to Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke and St. Mary Farm Queen Heneka Watkis. They were at the launch of the 2004 St. Mary Agri Expo at the Beaches Boscobel Resort and Golf Club in St. Mary on Saturday. - Damion Mitchell
ORGANISERS OF the 18th annual St. Mary Agri Expo, slated for April 11-12, 2004, in Annotto Bay, say the event will forge a stronger partnership between agriculture and tourism in the parish.
"The show will focus on the link between agriculture and tourism and the opportunities to assist the agricultural sector in making a worthwhile contribution to the Jamaican economy," said Eric Rodney, president of the St. Mary branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS).
He was speaking at a function held at the Beaches Boscobel Resort and Golf Club in the parish last Saturday to launch the 2004 St. Mary Agri Expo dubbed 'Agriculture and Tourism: A Partnership For Progress'.
But, according to Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke, while the local tourist industry currently utilises $2.5 billion worth of local agricultural produce per year, "Every time we buy foreign goods we are putting farmers to work in other countries and we are putting our people to go on the scrap heap of idleness and crime."
INCEASING MARK-UPS
He said it was important that farmers reduce their mark-ups to encourage the purchasing of more local produce and that at the same time, they should increase their production, as there were available markets. He said that, for example, there is a market for some 3,000 tonnes of cocoa but only 750 tonnes were being supplied.
The Agriculture Minister said that with the proposed establishment of the agricultural marketing system, farmers must work even more collaboratively to ensure its success.
"The exploitation that goes on when the farmers try to sell their crops individually is hurting them," said Mr. Clarke, adding "we want a situation where the farmers come together and demand prices based on the sale and cost and the prices for the crops in other countries."
Dennis Morrison, chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, said that a greater partnership between agriculture and tourism would result in the creation of more jobs for both sectors. "Tourism needs agriculture and agriculture needs tourism," he said, while noting that the expo was a good opportunity for the farmers to establish more markets.
The St. Mary Agri Expo, recognised as the premier agricultural event in eastern Jamaica, is aimed at, among other things, promoting the production of value items, stimulating domestic agricultural production, and providing important agricultural information for farmers.
The event is being organised by the JAS, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA). Beaches Boscobel Resort and Golf Club will feature more than 100 exhibitors.
