Clarke Damion Mitchell, News Coordinator - Radio
Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke has confirmed that current drought conditions in sections of the island have affected Jamaica's ability to meet its production target for the Cricket World Cup (CWC).
According to Mr. Clarke, fruits and vegetable production has been hardest hit, but he said systems have already been put in place to allow for imports to fill whatever shortfall may arise.
"Overall, I think enough food should be around," he told The Gleaner Power 106 News Centre. "There is a level of importation that continues, so whatever shortfall there is, that should be made up."
Last week, south St. Elizabeth farmer Seymour Simpson raised concern that farmers in that part of the island would not be able to meet their vegetable production target for the Cricket World Cup.
He said this was due largely to the persistent drought in recent months, which has been compounded by what he calls the failure of the authorities to meet their commitment to expand an irrigation system in south St. Elizabeth.
He said farmers have been informed that one of the pumps, which was sourced for a well in the parish, has been malfunctioning. As a result, the pump was returned to Mexico for repairs.
"I cannot see for the life of me, why a pump should take two months to go to Mexico and back," Mr. Simpson said on Independent Talk on Power 106 Radio. "It's very bad; the crops are drying up, the farmers are crying out and the hydrants are sitting there in the fields and there is no water."
However the agriculture Minister said the pump should be back in the island soon.
Turning to the availability of meat for the World Cup, Mr. Clarke said there should be adequate local supply.
Figures from the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) indicate that the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector grew by 12. 4 per cent during the October to December quarter. The Institute said this was largely due to favourable weather conditions and initiatives geared at improving the sector.
At the same time the PIOJ has reported that livestock production declined by 5.1 per cent during the last quarter.
