| KINGSTON, May 19 (JIS): |
 Minister
of Agriculture, Roger Clarke has said that as restructuring of the
coffee industry continued, separation of the Regulatory Division of
the Coffee Industry Board (CIB) from the Commercial Division was almost
complete, and both divisions now function separately as they already
carry out individual tasks.Making his contribution to the 2004/05 Sectoral Debate in the House yesterday (May 18), Mr. Clarke explained that the Regulatory Division continued to carry out functions such as quality control, advisory services, export, research, promulgation of standards, licensing, and certification and brand protection. Meanwhile, the Commercial Division will be divested to the Specialty Coffee Company of Jamaica, and will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Government of Jamaica, retaining responsibility for purchasing and marketing of its own supplies, while continuing to sell its services as a processor of coffee. “The intention of this separation is to provide greater transparency to all operations of both organizations and, ultimately, to enhance their efficiency,” he said. Turning to cocoa, the Minister reported that for the crop year in review, the net operating surplus was $33.5 million. “This is a significant achievement, considering that the tonnage sold was similar for each year,” he remarked. This, Mr. Clarke said, was attributed to the record average price of $135,851 per tonne, which was negotiated, compared with $89,987 in the previous year and the tight control maintained over expenditure. Over $2.2 million has been spent to provide benefits in the form of fertilizers, rodenticides, cocoa seedlings, reaping hooks and technical advice to 220 farmers in the parishes of St. Mary, Portland, St.Thomas, St. Catherine and Clarendon, to rehabilitate approximately 286 hectares (715 acres) of cocoa. Another 200 farmers have prepared some 220 hectares (550 acres) in anticipation of benefits under this project, the Minister said. “We expect positive results in production within six to 12 months after application of the inputs,” the Minister said. |
