Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton told The Gleaner he was aware that the programme has hit a snag because of a scarcity of young trees.

"We haven't stopped producing (young trees); the programme continues, but trees are available in spurts," Tufton said. "We just have to grow the trees."

He said the demand for young fruit trees has outstripped supply.

"The response has been overwhelming and the nurseries have to replenish themselves. We are looking this year at increasing the supply through private nurseries," the minister added.

Aiming to increase coconut trees

Tufton said his ministry was also working with the Jamaica Commodity Board to ramp up production of coconut trees, as well as diversify into other crops.

In 2008, the Government sought to refocus Jamaicans on agriculture by urging them to plant approximately 35,000 fruit trees as the National Labour Day project.

They included ackee, jackfruit, lychee, mango, naseberry, pomegranate, dwarf june plum, otaheite apple, cherry, custard apple, sweetsop, guinep, star apple and guava.

The seedlings were distributed free of cost to interested persons.

The tree-planting initiative was in keeping with the Labour Day theme, 'Eat What We Grow, Grow What We Eat', as a means of securing Jamaica's food supply.

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority is driving the tree-planting process.