A section of the RIU hotel in Ocho Rios, St. Ann. The hotel is one of several being built by Spanish investors on the island. - file

Spanish Ambassador to Jamaica, Jesus Silva, says Jamaica's agricultural sector stands to benefit significantly from the massive Spanish investment taking place in the tourism sector.

According to the Spanish Ambassador, persons coming to the island to fill these rooms would want to taste and sample the food that is associated with the island. "They will require at least three meals per day, at two persons per room, this translates into perhaps some 60,000 meals per day once we have completed the five-year plan," he outlined.

Ambassador Silva, who was speaking at last Tuesday's annual general meeting of the Agri-stakeholders Association, held at Bridge Palm Resort in Clarendon, said the investment would create an additional 10,000 rooms over the next five years, increasing the number of available beds by some 50 per cent.

"Some 13,000 new jobs would be created from this development," he added.

Need for serious dialogue

But he said the farming sector should begin serious dialogue with the management of the new Spanish chain of hotels, in order to benefit from this development. "The six hotel chains will be outsourcing many functions, such as food supply provision, and their watchword will be service, quality and reliability, hence the very excellent opportunity to develop a good partnership," he advised the gathering of agriculture stakeholders.

Mr. Cummings, who brought greetings, highlighted the need for Jamaican farmers to make the best use of available technology.

He said one of the critical challenges faced by the sector was how to increase efficiency, productivity and competitiveness.

"The key threats result from the level of reliance on imports, use of inappropriate technologies, high cost of capital and inadequate research and development, issues we at the ministry are seeking to address, and that is why the Agri-stakeholders Association is so important," he said.