Jamaica’s minister of agriculture, Dr Christopher Tufton, has assured that the new government is fully committed to providing the banana industry with the assistance it needs to remain viable, to continue to be a major contributor to the national economy.

Addressing a meeting of St Mary banana farmers at the Trinity boxing plant in Port Maria, during a tour of that parish on September 26, Dr Tufton said that commitment was based on the general recognition that the vibrancy of the agricultural sector is fundamental to the social and economic development of the country.

The tour, which was hosted by the All Island Banana Growers’ Association, enabled the minister to see first hand the status of the banana industry in St Mary and the difficulties being faced by banana farmers as a result of the impact of Hurricane Dean, which affected the island on August 19.

Dr Tufton told the farmers that he was aware of the difficulties they were facing as a consequence of the adjustments being made on the international market, and the destruction caused by the passing of hurricanes over the past three years.

Noting that government is fully cognisant of the resilience of the banana farmers and their ability to overcome the challenges being confronted, he said the ministry would be embarking on a number of strategies aimed at assisting farmers and guaranteeing the long- and short-term viability of the industry.

He said these strategies included, negotiating a $28 million (£13.7m) assistance programme with the European Union for the further development of the banana industry; implementing strategies to secure Fairtrade concession to guarantee Jamaican bananas increased in price on the European market; and the distribution of $5m worth of fertiliser to assist with the resuscitation of banana farms, following the passage of Hurricane Dean.

Dr Tufton said the amount of fertiliser to be distributed represented the second part of a $10m assistance programme implemented earlier, in response to the effects of Hurricane Dean, and that the $28m from the EU would be used for the rehabilitation of farm roads and the further development of the banana sector.

The ministry will work with banana farmers to maximise the opportunities from the Fairtrade concession. The government is also in discussion with the Jamaica Producers Group to devise ways of securing additional funding for the banana industry, and will be working with farmers to improve production and attract investments in the banana sector, Dr Tufton said.

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