Hugh Martin
JAMAICANS EAT a lot of curried mutton in the mistaken belief that they are eating 'curried goat', a national favourite dish. That is because we call goat's flesh mutton instead of what it is - chevon. But you won't see 'curried sheep' on any menu in a Jamaican restaurant, as the restaurateur knows well enough that he would not get one order in a month of Saturdays. Still a lot of sheep meat is eaten locally whether as mutton or as lamb, the latter being the meat of the young sheep and the more prized form that is offered mostly by upscale restaurants and hotels.
Sheep and goats are very closely related and form what is commonly referred to as the small ruminants as distinct from the larger cud-chewers - cattle. For decades hardly any work was done to develop this sub-sector as the emphasis was placed on the development of the four cattle breeds. Not until the 1970s was any serious thought given to addressing the deterioration of the local sheep and goat population when Jack Muschette, fresh from his outstanding work in pigs, was asked to take up the new challenge. Thus, was born the Ministry of Agriculture's Sheep and Goat Project which got assistance from the French government. I have written on the goat development success in 'Remaking the Jamaican Goat' (May 17, 2002).
VIABLE COMPONENT
Somehow though, the sheep industry lagged behind and although quite a few farmers remained in production the population continued to decline and the genetic stock to deteriorate. Amazingly though, a 2003 'Economic Viability study of the Small Ruminant Sub-sector' highlighted sheep production as the most viable component of the small stock industry in Jamaica. This was because of the tremendous market demand for specialised cuts of lamb which is satisfied almost exclusively by imports. Some 3.8 million kilograms of mutton and lamb were imported from Europe, New Zealand, Australia and the United States of America in 2004 at a value of $560.4 million. Local production contributes a mere 9,200 kilograms per annum while demand, especially within the hospitality industry, is estimated at 150,000 kilograms per annum.
Earlier last month the Ministry of Agriculture launched a Sheep Development Project which is a joint effort between its Agricultural Support Services Project (ASSP) and the Sheep Farmers Association of Jamaica. The occasion was used to hand over to the farmers 50 imported Dorper sheep to be used in the breeding and upgrading of the local sheep population. The project aims to increase sheep production to 54,913 kilograms in year one and to 282,863 kilograms in year five. This will be facilitated by providing training in sheep disease and small business management to 30 farmers, and by renovating the abattoir, meat processing and cold storage facilities at the Bodles research station to address the need for a modern slaughtering facility for the industry.
INVESTIGATION
I was led to investigate the new effort to develop the sheep industry by the report of the importation of the batch of Dorper sheep for the Sheep Farmers Association, by a discussion on the subject with Robert Hoehener of Arosa, the meat processor establishment in Draxhall, St. Ann, who thought it was a move in the right direction, and finally by an impassioned email commentary from Patrick Lyle, a Jamaican living overseas who keeps up to date on developments in agriculture locally. Mr. Lyle was critical of the Government's approach to development which he feels in the case of the sheep industry is impeding private initiative by preventing the farmers from importing the new genetic stock themselves.
My information is that because of international animal health regulations and practices, importation of animals is closely regulated by governmental agencies. Sheep suffers from Scratie disease which was implicated in the development of Mad Cow disease, and special care must be taken to ensure that the farm of origin has been free, of the disease for at least three years. It would seem to me that in this case, the Government acted properly.
Footnote: On Friday, March 10, Messrs. Jack Muschete and Glen Henry were honoured by the Ministry of Agriculture for their outstanding contribution to the development of the goat industry in Jamaica. Congratulations to both gentlemen who deserve that honour and much more.
