The American firm which faced a firestorm over the quality of the fertiliser it sold to the Government late last year has gone ahead with plans to set up shop in Jamaica.

Diamond R Fertiliser has shipped its first container of fertiliser to Jamaica, despite lingering concerns from the Opposition People's National Party that the product is doing more harm than good.

"We are confident about the quality of our product. We will continue to be engaged with some of the independent testing bodies here and if anybody would like to see the results of our testing they are more than welcome to," Alex Kaminsky, managing director of the Caribbean operation of Diamond R, told The Gleaner.

"If anybody says this fertiliser is no good we would be more than willing to provide them with the lab reports on our product," Kaminsky added.

Quality questioned

The company has been forced to defend the quality of its product since early this year, when Opposition Spokesman on Agriculture Roger Clarke claimed that it contained human waste.

"It is the first time that faeces are being imported," Clarke alleged in Parliament while quizzing agriculture minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, about the safety of the product.

But local authorities, including the Bureau of Standards, cleared the product which had been imported by the Government.

"Since our fertiliser hit the Jamaican market we have had repeated requests from farmers and distributors for more, with everyone satisfied with the quality. The only complaint has been about the odour and we say that is a reflection of the potency," Kaminsky said.

He told The Gleaner that Diamond R is entering Jamaica for the long haul and plans to get involved in all aspects of the agricultural sector.

"The intention of Diamond R Fertiliser is to come into the market and offer good-quality fertiliser at a sustainable competitive price. We are a full-service agriculture company with knowledge about the latest farming techniques and advanced technologies.

"We carry foliar, soluble and greenhouse fertiliser and we offer crop protection and enhancement products. Combined with our technical expertise and hands-on training, Diamond R will provide good support and service to their distributors," said Kaminsky.

Yesterday, the Opposition spokesman refused to comment on Diamond R's decision to set up shop in Jamaica, while hinting that his criticisms were not directed at the company.

"I will have to see the fertiliser they are importing this time before I can make any comment," Clarke said.