Global Food Import

Prices on the Decline

VOL. 25 NO. 5 NOV - DEC 2015

FREE COPY

Courtesy of FAO
ROME:
gricultural commodities are going
through a period of lower and less
volatile prices, according to the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) in a report
released this month.
The FAOs special Outlook Report most
cereal and vegetable oil prices are on a trajectory that is both steady and declining,
after several dramatic upward price spikes
from 2007 through early 2011.
Among the reasons are high inventory
levels, sharply lower oil prices and the renewed strength of the United States dollar,
none of which appear likely to be reversed
in the short term, although unexpected
shocks, such as weather-driven impacts on
harvests, can never be excluded.
The FAO Food Price Index, a tradeweighted index tracking international market prices for five major food commodity
groups, fell to a six-year low in August. New
figures, also released Nov. 5, show it inched
up by about two-thirds of a percentage point
from its August low to 156.3 points, which
is still 18.9 percent less than a year earlier.
"The takeaway message here is that statistically, the most recent shifts in behaviour
foresee downward price momentum with
lower volatility," wrote Adam Prakash and
Friederike Greb, both commodity specialists
at FAO, in their analytical findings.
The price path of the past few years, and
the prospective path ahead, are not the same
for all food groups. Rice prices tend to move
independently from other grains, while sugar
prices have always been volatile, having lost
and gained over half their value more than
12 times since 1990. Meat and dairy products fit the broad trend but, as more perishable commodities, they often do so with a

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Dr Derrick Deslandes
Interim President, CASE

CASE appoints
interim president

INSIDE STORIES

Fruits and vegetables are showing lower and less volatile prices

PAGE 3 - Cheaper imports could hurt farmers

PAGE 5 - NPCB- Responsible/Transparent Operations
PAGE 7 - Farmers get national honours
PAGE 11 - Understanding the Pesticide Label
PAGE 14 - Pesticide residues in food?
PAGE 14 - Major increases in JAS membership fees

r. Derrick Deslandes, a lecturer at the

Mona School of Business & Management, UWI, has been appointed interim
president of the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland following the retirement of Dr. Mary Ann
Nichols.
Deslandes, who is also a marketing
consultant to the Agricultural Competitiveness Programme at the Agri Invest Corporation, was seconded to the Ministry of
Agriculture and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority as marketing consultant.
Following the controversial dismissal
of Dr. Paul Ivey in 2010, Deslandes is the
third persons to be appointed interim presidents of CASE. The other includes Dr. Victor Watt, who now serves as a member of
the board of management.
The Agriculturalist was unable to contact CASEs board of management chairman, Ambassador Derrick Heaven, for
further details on Dr. Deslandes appointment.
CASE is Jamaicas leading agricultural
college and is classified by the Ministry of
Education as a Grade A, multidisciplinary
college offering a wide range of academic
programmes through its three faculties and
the Division of Community College and
Continuing Education Programmes.

2 THE AGRICULTURALIST NOV - DEC 2015

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EDITORIAL

Cheaper imports could hurt farmers

Focal
Point

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he Food and Agriculture Food Outlook

released this month (October) records
a significant decline in the prices of most
agricultural commodities after several dramatic upward price spikes from 2007 to
2011. Most cereal and vegetable oil prices
are on a trajectory that is both steady and
declining, the Outlook reports.
With Jamaica food imports just under
$1 billion, these declining prices are good
news for Jamaican consumers, but it also
threatens the livelihood of thousands of
farmers across the island.
As reported by the FAO, lower food
prices will continue for a long time as a result of high inventory levels, sharply lower
oil prices and the renewed strength of the
U.S. dollar. None of these factors appear
likely to be reversed in the short term, although unexpected shocks, such as
weather-driven impacts on harvests, can
never be excluded.
Rice, corn and other cereals and
meats, including chicken, are already enjoying up to 20 percent decline in prices in
most of the North American and European

producing countries. However, local importers and retailers are not passing on the
saving to consumers.
In a very volatile business environment, including the continuing devaluation
of the Jamaican currency, retailers are very
nervous and may be reluctant to adjust
prices down. However, the prices remain
fairly stable during the past few months.
Nevertheless, the cheaper imports will
be good for consumers, but could put farmers out of business as already a proliferation of aggressive food importers are
seeking licenses to import more farm produces, including vegetables, chicken, fish,
beef and pork. Food imports are very lucrative as they attract high return on investment, especially meat products such as
chicken-back.
The situation will get out of hand if the
Minister of Agriculture, who is responsible
for issuing permits for agricultural foods,
fails to take control and protect the local
farmers from cheaper imports.
The Grow What We Eat, Eat What
We Grow campaign, which was launched
on Nov. 25, 2003 by Senator Norman

NOV - DEC 2015 THE AGRICULTURALIST 3

by
PATRICK MAITLAND

Publisher -The Agriculturalist

editor@theagriculturalist.com

Grant to help reduce food imports, is not

working. After 10 years of campaigning
and talking about eating local produce,
the figures for Jamaica food imports that
can be produced locally continue to skyrocket. These locally produced crops and
livestock include sweet pepper, tomato,
onion, pork, goat and sheep meat, hot pepper, fruit tree crops, honey, ginger, forestry,
shrimp and cattle.
For example, some 8.6 million kgs of
the tuber is being imported in comparison

opinions

to the mere 455,000 kgs produced by local

farmers. In the case of Irish potato, 16 million kgs are imported compared to local
production of 4.9 million kgs.
More than 90 percent of mutton and
lamb consumed in Jamaica is imported annually, according to data from Statically Institute of Jamaica.
Some food we must import, but we
must provide the opportunities and incentives for local farmers to produce at their
highest capacity.

The opinions expressed in this newspaper, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Agriculturalist and its publishers. Please send your comments or suggestions to editor@theagriculturalist.com. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all articles will be published.

Harvesting data to feed the world

n the 1950s and 60s, the green revolution

sharply increased crop yields, thanks to
fertilizers, pesticides and new seed varieties.
But with a billion more mouths to feed by
2025, how will we reap more food without
harming the environment? Big data might
help.
The global agriculture biotechnology
market is forecast to grow to $46.8 billion by
2019, with the bulk focused on transgenic
seeds and synthetic biology products such as
DNA synthesis and biofuels.
Technology could improve yields and
reduce waste, says David Lobell, associate
professor of earth system science at Stanford
University in California. One of the biggest
impacts will be to bring down input costs.
That will help not so much in terms of yields
but in the price of food and the environmental impactbringing down water use and
fertilizer use.
As you have better knowledge of what
you need, you can reduce the margin of
error.
Genetics: Just as big data has helped
scientists tease apart genetic traits in humans,
so it is doing for agriculture.
Researchers are mapping the genomes
of fungi, parasites, pathogens and plants,
which can speed up breeding for traits such
as salt tolerance. (About three hectares per
minute become too salty for conventional
farming.)
The main idea of genomic selection is
that effects of abiotic stresses like heat are
controlled by lots of different genes, Dr. Lobell says.

By Catherine Bolgar
www.perspectives.3ds.com

Those types of things can be better

identified by more and more data for lots of
different varieties. You can start to statistically pull out smaller effects with larger data
sets.
Big data is analyzing plant populations
to understand better why some plants thrive
in certain environments and others dont.
The Compadre database is a collection of
more than 1,000 plant population models
across 600 species, while the similar Comadre database is for animals. The data are
difficult to collect, with researchers visiting
the sites several times, notes Yvonne Buckley, professor and head of zoology at the
University of Dublin.
By looking, for example, at how big and
efficient leaves are, scientists hope to be able
to predict whether a species will become extinct. Its important for food security, which
populations might be vulnerable to disappearing, she says.

Precision agriculture: Big data can also

help farmers decide which seeds to plant,
whether to apply fertilizers or whether to irrigate. With sensors, they can measure conditions such as soil moisture, while drones
can provide a close-up view of far-flung
fields in real time. Moreover, technology required to collect this data keeps getting
cheaper.
By monitoring whats really happening,
you can give people information and boost
their food security, says John Corbett,
founder and chief executive of aWhere Inc.,
a Broomfield, Colorado, agriculture intelligence company.
Where analyzes temperature, rainfall,
humidity (which can affect fungus and mold),
solar radiation, wind and agronomic modeling. Its high-tech methods arent restricted to
developed countries.
Farmer or agronomist in soy bean field
with tabletThe cell phone is by far the most
influential technology for dispersing information, Dr. Corbett says. The penetration
of cell phones in sub-Saharan Africa is phenomenal. Any farmer can be connected to the
worlds data bank. Without changing anything like seed or fertilizer, they can improve
yields 30% just by using better information.
Where delivers information to farmers
in sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya, for example, aWhere supplies weather data to
iShamba, a for-profit agricultural advisory
company that also produces a hit reality TV
show, Shamba Shape Up (shamba is
Swahili for farm) to answer subscribers
questions and update commodity prices by
SMS.

Cell phones can also collect data

aWhere surveys farmers by SMS. As the Internet of Things moves to the farm, tractors
and other machinery will be able to transmit
data from the field.
If you can get on-the-ground information, and if you process it and push it back to
the person, theres an enormous amount of
optimization and efficiency that will come to
the agriculture value chain. Farmers can plan
what will sell. They can form cooperatives,
which make selling more efficient, Dr. Corbett says. If you do it across the value chain,
the whole chain strengthens.
Catherine Bolgar is a former managing
editor of The Wall Street Journal Europe.

Publisher & Editor:

Patrick Maitland

Consulting Editors:

Vincent Wright, Jairzenho Bailey

Produced & Published by:

Agri Life Foundation Ltd

AMC Complex,
188 Spanish Town Road,
Kingston 11, Jamaica, W.I.
Tel: (876) 923-7471 923-7428
Fax: (876) 923-7428
agriculturalist@gmail.com
editor@theagriculturalist.com
www.theagriculturalist.com

arbitraries

4 THE AGRICULTURALIST NOV - DEC 2015

assel Neysmith: of Class of 60 died

on September 26, in Portland. Neysmith gave decades of dedicated service in
Agricultural Extension with the Ministry
of Agriculture and the Rural Agricultural
Development Authority; from which he retired. A service of thanksgiving for his life
and work was held at Christ Church, Port
Antonio, Portland on October 3.

owell "LG" Brown (Class of 1964)

who was called the consumate "Coffee Man" died on September 27 in Portmore, St. Catherine where he resided.
Brown gave unstinting and dedicated service to the Jamaican Coffee Industry for
practically all of his working life. He has
served in various capacities at the Coffee
Industry Board and the Coffee Industry
Development Company; where he distinguished himself and served until his retirement.

onia Davis Campbell nee Solomon

(Class of '79) passed away Wednesday,
September 30, in New York. The service of
thanksgiving for her life was held Saturday,
October 10, at the Faith Church of God,
Brooklyn, NY 11234 and followed by interment at Christ Church Cemetery, South
Amboy, NJ.

Please send arbitraries to:

editor@theagriculturalist.com

Global Food Import Prices on the Decline

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Continued on page 4
However, the authors warn that calculating overall benefits also requires considering that lower prices reduce farmers'
incomes. Slimmer margins for rural farmers are likely to reduce on-farm investments, whose past inadequacy was largely
blamed for the sharp price hikes of the last
decade. Low returns may also require more
incentives for more investments in agriculture and rural economic services ranging from credit, to roads and warehouse
facilities.
While global production is robust and
inventory still high, the volume of cereals
being traded internationally is declining,
and forecast at around 364 million tonnes
for the 2015/16 season (July/June), down
2.9 percent from the previous period.
The downward trend is driven by
wheat, mostly due to lower imports in Asia
-- especially the Islamic Republic of Iran - and North Africa, and by coarse grains,
where demand from Asia is lower, even
though Africa and Europe are both expected to increase their imports.
Meanwhile, trade in cassava is poised
to grow by 19 percent and to hit a record
high, due mostly to demand from China for
a cheaper raw material for its animal feed,
energy and industrial sectors.
Trade volumes in seafood are also rising. Currency movements cast a heavy
shadow over this sector, as a strong dollar
has made the U.S. a major destination for
shrimp exports while weaker currencies

elsewhere impact a range of sectors from

Norwegian salmon to Chinese fish processors reliant on imports. Still, overall fish
production is forecast to grow by 2.6 percent this year, driven by aquaculture expanding at nearly twice that rate.
However, the authors warn that calculating overall benefits also requires considering that lower prices reduce farmers'
incomes.
Slimmer margins for rural farmers are
likely to reduce on-farm investments,
whose past inadequacy was largely blamed
for the sharp price hikes of the last decade.
Low returns may also require more incentives for more investments in agriculture
and rural economic services ranging from
credit, to roads and warehouse facilities.
While global production is robust and
inventory still high, the volume of cereals
being traded internationally is declining,
and forecast at around 364 million tonnes
for the 2015/16 season (July/June), down
2.9 percent from the previous period.

The downward trend is driven by

wheat, mostly due to lower imports in Asia
-- especially the Islamic Republic of Iran - and North Africa, and by coarse grains,
where demand from Asia is lower, even
though Africa and Europe are both expected to increase their imports.
Meanwhile, trade in cassava is poised
to grow by 19 percent and to hit a record
high, due mostly to demand from China for
a cheaper raw material for its animal feed,
energy and industrial sectors.
Trade volumes in seafood are also rising. Currency movements cast a heavy
shadow over this sector, as a strong dollar
has made the U.S. a major destination for
shrimp exports while weaker currencies
elsewhere impact a range of sectors from
Norwegian salmon to Chinese fish processors reliant on imports. Still, overall fish
production is forecast to grow by 2.6 percent this year, driven by aquaculture expanding at nearly twice that rate.

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National Peoples Co-operative

Bank of Jamaica Limited Committed
to Responsible, Transparent Operations

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he management of the National Peoples

Co-operative Bank of Jamaica Limited
(NPCB) expresses its commitment to being prudent, responsible, fair and transparent in its operations and in serving all its clients while
securing and protecting the interest of all its
members and the wider community.
The NPCB is currently under the control
and management of the Agricultural Credit
Board (AC Board), which is a department of the
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries with the
specific mandate of regulating the operations of
Agricultural Loan Societies under the Agricultural Credit Board Act Law 70 of 1960.
The only Agricultural Loan Society which
continues to operate is the NPCB, which was established in 1905 and has been the only community Bank in Jamaica over the past 50 years.
The NPCB represents an amalgamation of individual PC Banks and presently has 36 Branches
island wide. The Bank has been fulfilling its
motto: Building Communities by ensuring the
growth and Development of our Members. The
Bank provides a range of products and services
including savings and loan facilities for micro,
small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The NPCB is a privately operated lending
institution that is registered and operates under
the regulatory framework of the Agricultural
Credit Board and is established under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act which is
monitored by the Department of Cooperatives
and Friendly Societies, a department of the Ministry of Industry Investment and Commerce.
The NPCB is governed by a Board of Directors which is elected by members of the Bank
through a delegate system, based on a democratic process. There are no government representatives on the Board of the NPCB or any of
its operational and governance committees. The
members are required to convene an Annual
General Meeting where major decisions are
made regarding the operations of the institution
as this is the highest decision making body of
the NPCB.
In April 2015 the registration of the NPCB
as an Agricultural Loan Society was not immediately renewed by the AC Board as there were
concerns over a number of perceived weaknesses in the operations of the Bank. The Bank,
after intervention, was given provisional registration, allowing it to operate for a prescribed
period.

NOV - DEC 2015 THE AGRICULTURALIST 5

Agriculture Minister the Hon Derrick Kellier (centre) outlines steps being taken to address issues at the National Peoples Co-operative Bank of Jamaica Limited during a media briefing at the Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries Hope Road offices in Kingston on September 18. Others, from left, are Donovan Stanberry,
permanent secretary in the Ministry and Hugh Graham, chairman of the Agricultural Credit Board, current
regulators of the PC Bank.

The AC Board, in keeping with its responsibility under the law, proceeded to take over the
management and control of the institution. The
manager was sent on leave and an interim manager appointed to oversee the operations.
A special audit/enquiry is now being conducted and corrective measures are being taken
to enable the NPCB to operate at the highest
level of efficiency, financial prudence and accountability.
Steps now being taken by the AC Board to
strengthen the management and operations of
the Bank include:

Adoption of a Fit and Proper Criteria for the

appointment of Directors to the Committee of
management of the Bank.
Adoption of an international Performance
Standard (PEARLS) for the Operations of the
Bank.
Increasing efforts presently being made to collect on bad debts. At the end of September 2015
a number of members with delinquent loans
were contacted and have resumed payment on
their loans.

Corrective measures have been put in place to

allow for resumption of lending to the NPCB by
the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ). Loan
repayment to the DBJ is current.
Plans are far advanced to aggressively increase
the capital base of the Bank over the next 3 years
by way of share subscription.
The Banking system is to be programmed to
ensure the schedules being prepared for 2015
will be provided in accordance with the 90 days
past due requirement as the loan delinquency
period was reduced from 180 to 90 days.
At a recent press conference convened by
the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Derrick Kellier, the Minister emphasized that the Ministry
and by extension the Government, remained
committed to ensuring that the PC Bank operates its business in a financially prudent manner,
safeguard the deposits of its members and provides high quality service to the thousands of
farmers in Jamaica among its other clients.
The NPCB is cooperating with the Regulators and the audit team, as all stakeholders work
together to overcome the current challenges as
quickly as possible.

6 THE AGRICULTURALIST NOV - DEC 2015

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Farmers get national honours and awards

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NOV - DEC 2015 THE AGRICULTURALIST 7

By Kimmy Blair
The Agriculturalist Reporter
even Jamaican agriculturalists and
graduates of the former Jamaica School
of Agriculture (JAS) were among hundreds
of Jamaicans farm leaders that received
national honours and awards issued by the
government and was held at Kings House,
St. Andrew on October 19.
Derrick Heaven (class of 1961)Order of Jamaica for service to Foreign Affairs and Sugar Industry.
Derrick Vermont (JSA class of 1958)
- Order of Distinction for services to the
livestock sector.
Lloyd Desmond Smith (class of
1961) - Badge of honour for meritorious
service for community development.

Derrick
Heaven

Derrick
Vermont

Sievwright Dixon (JSA class of 1976) Badge of honour for long and faithful service to the Coffee Industry.
Winston Ritchie (JSA class of 1965)
- Badge of honour for long and faithful
service to the Jamaica 4H Clubs.

Lloyd
Smith

Winston
Ritchie

Sievwright
Dixon

Norman
Grant

Byron Earle (JSA class of 1960) who

received the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service to the Livestock sector.

Norman Grant Jamaica Agricultural

Society (JAS) President, was conferred
with the Order of Distinction, Officer
Class, for his contribution to farming.

Meanwhile, Hutchinson also accused

the Agriculture Minister of supplying a diet
of misinformation regarding the performance of the sector.

better planning from the Agriculture Ministry. He further claimed that the resources
given to the Agro Parks, wouldve been
better allocated, if they were given to farmers to help prepare for the drought.
Hutchinson said farmers are complaining that Extension Officers from the
Rural Agricultural Development Authority,
RADA, have been missing in action in
some parishes.
He said agricultural output has increased in the past, during periods of
drought.

Hutchinson Blasts Govt Agro Approach

O

pposition Spokesman on Agriculture,

JC Hutchinson says the Governments
programme to develop Agro-Parks to advance economic growth has been a major
disappointment.
Hutchinson was speaking at a recent
public meeting organised by the Jamaica
Labour Party.
He urged Agriculture Minister, Derrick Kellier, to properly supervise the Agro
Parks.
Hutchinson said the Agro-Parks have
failed to have the desired effect.

CHAIRMANS TROPHY:

Ludger Parish of Clarendon Cane Farmers Association receives the chairmans trophy
for Champion Farmer 2015 from Chairman Allan Rickards at the 66th AGM of the All
Island Jamaica Cane Farmers Association at the Jamaica Pegasus, New Kingston on
Thursday, November 12.
During the AGM, Chief Executive Officer of the SIA, George Callaghan, acknowledged the importance of increasing sugarcane productivity even as cane prices
fall. He voiced support for the cess or levy on refined sugar, noting that the SIA stood
ready to back measures for the prosperity of the industry. The cess, announced last year,
is to address the loss of revenue due to the leakage of imported duty-free sugar, intended
for manufacturing, into the retail trade. The proceeds will allow for the investment in
public goods to enhance the competitiveness of the sugar industry. Chairman of the AllIsland Cane Farmers Association, Allan Rickards, was also vocal in supporting the levy
on sugar.

Misplaced Priorities
Hurting Agriculture

The Former State Minister for Agriculture said the Jamaicas agricultural sector is suffering because of the misplaced
priorities of the Minister of Agriculture.
Hutchinson says the effects of the
drought, which are set to affect growth in
the sector, could have been mitigated with

Major increases in
JAS membership fees
M
embers of the Jamaica Agricultural
Society (JAS) are facing increases in
membership fees of 150 percent and 50 percent for ordinary and direct members, respectively.
Norman Grant, President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, said the new
fees were in keeping with the decision of the
organizations annual general meeting held
on July 8, 2015 and confirmed by the Board
of Management.
Effective Sept. 1, 2015, all category of
JAS membership fees were increased as follows: JAS Branch, $500 per annum; direct
members, $1,500 per annum; commodity,
$10,000 per annum and the recently reinstated life member to be at $10,000, renewable every five years at $5,000.
All existing life members will be reinstated without a charge, but charge will become effective five years after
reinstatement. Honorary membership will
be reintroduced with immediate effect. Senator Grant says further, the increases in fees

is in keeping with a strategy of improvement

to level of service to the membership and
also continue to repositioning to the JAS as
a liable and financial independent farmers
organization.
Gant also reported that the JAS is in the
process of creating a comprehensive bundle
of benefits to include discount from farm
stores merchants island-wide.
The last time fees were increased was
approximately 15 years ago when branch
membership was increased to $200 and direct membership fee was increased to
$1,000 per annum, the president noted.
The category of Life membership and Honorary Life membership is being re-instated
after being suspended in 1992.
The JAS annual report of 2014
recorded total membership of 6,323, which
contributed less than 10 percent to the organizations operating expenses, while the
government subvention and grants amounts
to 85 percent.

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JAMAICA DAIRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD

8 THE AGRICULTURALIST NOV - DEC 2015

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he Jamaica Dairy Development Board

(JDDB) began operations in September 1999
consequent upon Cabinet Resolution No. 13/99
of April 19, 1999. The enabling legislation was
enacted with effect from February 13, 2009 and
received the assent of the Governor General on
March 10, 2009.
Following its enactment, the Board began
operation as a Statutory Body with effect from
September 09, 2009, with the appointment of a
Board of Directors by the Honourable Minister of
Agriculture and Fisheries.
The Core Functions of the Board toward the
realization of this vision, were defined by the
Minister as follows:
i. Development of a programme for capacity
building within the dairy sector;
ii. Management of the trade (internal and external) in dairy products;
iii. Satisfying the requirements, and protecting
the rights of the consumer;
iv. Provision of policy guidance on matters relating to the dairy sector;
v. Gathering, analysis and dissemination of
relevant information,
vi. Development of programmes for ensuring
the sustained financial viability of the Dairy v.
Board in the execution of its mandate.

WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

NOV - DEC 2015 THE AGRICULTURALIST 9

Enhancing national wealth creation and food security through increased food self-sufficiency

For further
information contract:

JAMAICA DAIRY
DEVELOPMENT BOARD

Ministry of
Agriculture
and Fisheries
Hope Gardens,
Kingston 6
Tel: (876) 618-7107
Fax (876)977-9230
Email:
dairyboard@moa.gov.jm

Appleton
Estates to
send home
105 workers

10 THE AGRICULTURALIST NOV - DEC 2015

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he positions of 105 workers at Appleton Estates in St Elizabeth are to

be made redundant starting Wednesday.
The Agriculturalist has learnt that
some field and factory workers began receiving letters last Friday.
The redundancy exercise will impact families from communities such as
Thornton, Aberdeen, Siloah, Balaclava
and Lacovia.
Several workers are hopeful they
will secure jobs on a contractual basis.
Appleton Estates, which is owned by
Campari, reported significant financial
losses during the 2014/2015 crop.

Golden Grove job cuts

Meanwhile, Deputy Island Supervisor of the Bustamante Industrial Trade

Union (BITU), Harold Brown, says the
Golden Grove Sugar Factory in St.
Thomas is in the second phase of job
cuts.
He also disclosed that 150 positions
will be made redundant at the Long
Pond Sugar Factory in Trelawny, however, details on redundancy pay outs are
not yet finalised, but discussions are near
completion.

BLESSING AND DEDICATION FOR ST. JAGO FARM:

In photo (l-r) State Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Luther Buchanan, along with Bosworth Mullings, superintendent of the Methodist Coke Circuit; OBrien Johnson, managing director of S. Jago Farm and Hardware Supplies
Ltd; and Don McGlashan, director general at the Ministry, in discussion at the ceremony of blessing and dedication for St.
Jago Farm on November 18 in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. State Minister Buchanan encourages farmers to practise proper
plant nutrition and food safety in order to safeguard Jamaicas food security and increase productivity. Buchanan also commended Johnson for the companys exemplary service to the farmers over the past 36 years and encouraged him to provide farmers with safe, drought-resistant and environment-friendly products in an effort to safeguard the agricultural
sector against the negative impacts of climate change.

Understanding the Pesticide Label

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he Rural Agricultural Development Authority sees the necessity in notifying farmers

and the general public of the proper uses of pesticides.

See below useful information that can greatly assist in the employment of good agricultural practices
and pesticides management.
The use of pesticides has become an indispensable factor of agricultural production. Nearly all pesticides are toxic and can be potentially dangerous to
humans if exposure is excessive. Pesticides however,
can be used safely. Information on this is contained
in the manufacturers label.
Pesticide labels can be defined as visual aid and
support for concise, practical, easy-understood information on the procedure for using product and for
protecting the user and the environment from risk of
accident.
By law, certain kinds of information must appear
on a pesticide label and applicators have the legal responsibility to read, understand and follow the label
directions.
Keep out of reach of children precaution statement is required to be on all pesticide containers. Accidental poisonings and deaths can be prevented by
observing this precaution.
Pesticide labels should contain/satisfy the following:

NOV - DEC 2015 THE AGRICULTURALIST 11

6. Precautionary statements: identify potential hazards and recommend ways that the risks can be
minimized or avoided e.g. "Hazards
to Humans and Domestic Animals,"
"Environmental Hazards," and
"Physical or Chemical Hazards."
7. First aid information: indicates
what should be done if the product
accidentally contacts eyes, mouth,
skin, or is inhaled or ingested.

8. Personal protective equipment (PPE): Indicates

what protective clothing should be worn when handling and applying the product.

Tips to remember
when using pesticides

Always read the label carefully to

ensure that the product is intended
for your specific use.

Do not make assumption that the

pesticide can be use on any crop.

Use of higher than recommended dose rate can

waste money and may harm people and the environment. It may not provide better control and can be
even less effective.

1.Product name (or pesticide product) is the pesticide

active ingredient(s) and other components, in the
form in which it is packaged and sold.
2.Type of pesticide The label must indicate what type
of pesticide the product is or what types of pests it
will control. For example insecticide, fungicide, herbicide, rodenticide etc.

3.Signal word: indicates the toxicity of the product

and describes the acute (short-term) toxicity of the
formulated pesticide product. The signal word can be
either: DANGER, WARNING or CAUTION.
4.Active ingredient (common or chemical name)
means the biologically active part of the pesticide.
Many different pesticides will contain the same active ingredient. By purchasing pesticides according
to the common or chemical name you will be sure
you are getting the right active ingredient no matter
what the trade name or formulation is.
5.Pesticide formulation is the mixture of chemicals
which effectively controls a pest. Example of formulations are: Wettable Powder (WP), Granules (G),
Baits (B), Emulsifiable concentrate (EC) among others.

9. Directions for use: tells how and where the product can be used. It tells the user how much is okay?
Pesticide labels will list the days-to-harvest or preharvest interval (PHI), which is the minimum number of days between the last pesticide application and
crop harvest. The pesticide is degraded during PHI
so that pesticide residues, if present, will be at levels
below tolerances established

Buy only what you need. Storing and disposing of

leftover pesticides can lead to unnecessary risks.

Read the label over before using pesticide instead

of relying on your memory. Using pesticides in accordance with the label recommendations ensures
safety of our food and environment.

10. Storage and disposal: Indicates how the product

should be stored and what should be done with leftovers.
11. Manufacturer's contact information: Indicate how
the manufacturer can be contacted.

Contributed by:

Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)

Technology, Training and Technical Information Division (TTTI)
Hope Gardens, Kingston 6, Jamaica, West Indies
Tel: 876-977-1158-64; Fax: 876-970-4077
Email: dttti@rada.gov.jm

12 THE AGRICULTURALIST NOV - DEC 2015

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MANAGEMENT
FOCUS

Dr Damian Graham
General Manager, JP Tropical
----------------------------------------------r Damian "Damo" Graham is an experienced supply chain professional
and a scholar-practitioner with acumen
in business development, change management, continuous improvement, project management, growing organization
culture and talent.
He joined JP Group in February of
2015 as the general manager of JP Tropical Foods after serving as Agribusiness
Lead at Red Stripe-Diageo where he was
responsible for the commercialization of
the Sweet Cassava Supply Chain including the production of Red Stripe Beer
from cassava starch.
In his current capacity at JP Farms,
Dr Graham is overseeing the full fresh
produce supply chain from field to fork.
He describes the strategic focus of the
farms as transforming into a multi-crop
operations of bananas, sweet potatoes,
pineapple and cassava.
He has worked in a number of industries including Sand Mining, Bauxite
and Alumina, Construction, Heavy
Equipment Rental, Transportation, Adult
Beverage (beer and spirits), FMCG
(food) and Agriculture.
He has also led and trained teams in
several countries in green field and
brown field scenarios, and consulted on
product and process innovations with
several firms.
He is chartered food safety professional with the ICHP in the UK. His research interests are in the areas of
industrial engineering, business administration, substantiality, and knowledge
engineering.

NEW SWEET POTATO VARIETY:

JP Farms Launches
New Sweet Potato Variety

Agriculture Minister the Derrick Kellie (2nd l) and General Manager JP Tropical Foods, Damian Graham pose with Sweet
Potato tubers during a tour of the companys Beauregard Sweet Potato Plot, at the Jamaica Producers Estate, Agualta
Vale, St. Mary, on Tuesday, November 3. Also in photo Lenworth Fulton, CEO, RADA (1st l) and State minister for Agriculture and State Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Luther Buchanan (4th l)

AGUALTA VALE, ST. MARY:

P Farms announces the expansion and diversification of its farming activities in St.
Mary with the recent reaping of its first crop
of sweet potato.
JP Farms has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture
(IICA) and Fersan Jamaica Limited, to introduce commercial production of a new variety of super-sweet nutrient rich sweet
potatoes.
The first phase of the project will be 20
acres and the company is targeting an additional 80 acres for further expansion in line
with market demand.
The new variety of sweet potato will be
marketed under the JP Tropical brand and is
a versatile and easy cooking starch that is
suited to the Jamaican palate.
According to Damain Graham, General
Manager of JP Farms: Consumers will

come to know and love this Sweet Potato

from the baptism in the rich soil of JP
Farms. We have brought to Jamaica the JP
Pineapple, JP Sweet Cassava, JP Fresh Coconuts and the JP Bananas. We will continue
to expand the varieties of Sweet Potatoes to
include other varieties.
JP Farms investment in crop diversification and increased acres under cultivation
is also linked to recent investments in mechanization and state of the art enterprise resource planning (ERP) farming software to
improve forecasting, planning and controls
in its farming operations.
JP Farms currently supplies all channels within the domestic fresh market, including retail, hospitality and industrial
segments.
Graham noted, I am pleased that JP
Farms continues to be absolutely committed
to being the leader in innovation in Jamaican
agriculture and to providing Jamaican con-

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sumers with healthy, attractive and competitively priced food options.

The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Derrick Kellier who visited JP Farms
to witness the first harvest of JP Farms
sweet potatoes on November 3, was very
pleased with the expansion and development
of the farms.
JP Farms, the farming operation of the
JP Tropical Foods, is based in Agualta Vale,
St. Mary.
Over the past 85 years the company has
focused on banana production, but has diversified its product focus to include pineapples, coconuts, cassava and most recently,
sweet potatoes for the domestic market.
A hallmark of the approach taken by the
company has been to introduce new varieties and quality protocols for fresh produce.
JP Farms is also a pioneer in the commercial introduction of new pineapple varieties.

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HEALTH & NUTRITION

What is the PSA test?

WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

he Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test

uses a blood sample to monitor the level
of PSA being produced by the prostate. It is
important to understand that the PSA test is
not a prostate cancer test. Rather, when PSA
levels are monitored over a period of years,
prostate cancer experts can detect spikes or
elevations in a mans PSA levels.

What is the PSA Velocity?

Your PSA Velocity is the rate at which your
PSA levels change over a period of time.
PSA mapping by a prostate cancer expert is
the best way to determine if elevations are
cause for concern. A PSA level of 4.0ng/ml
is considered normal, while changes of more
than 2.0ng/ml per year is an indicator of the
potential presence of prostate cancer, infection, or enlargement Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).

When should I have a PSA test?

Currently, the American Urological Association recommends that most men only need a
PSA every 2 years, and that men between the
ages of 55 and 69 should consider the pros
and cons of PSA testing before making their
own decision about a testing schedule.
Based on his experience with prostate
cancer, Dr. Samadi strongly encourages men
to commit to annual PSA screenings and to
get a baseline test at age 40.
He believes all men over the age of 40
should have a PSA (prostate-specific anti-

gen) blood test and digital rectal exam as part

of their annual physical. For those with
prostate cancer risk factors a family history
of the disease or African American men
screening should begin even earlier. Through
monitoring PSA levels, men who are at risk
for developing of the disease can be closely
and easily monitored.
If an elevated PSA level is detected, a
prostate biopsy can be done to confirm the
presence of cancer.
For men who have not yet started their
PSA screening, but are experiencing difficulties urinating, a constant urge to urinate,
the feeling that you cant fully empty your

NutriCare
By

Gloria Bent, MS, RD, CDN - Nutritionist

Questions &Comments: gloria.bent@gmail.com

Healthy Eating

ere are some ideas for healthy meals.

Use these ideas to create meals that
are low in calories. You should try to eat
only 1600-1800 calories each day.

BREAKFAST should be between 300

and 400 calories each day.
-Bagel with peanut butter
-Small coffee
-Hardboiled egg
-Whole grain toast
-Orange juice
-Yogurt
-English muffin
-Cup of melon
-Small banana
-Milk
-Apple
-Granola bar

DINNER should be about 700 calories each

day.
-Lean cuts of chicken, pork, or beef
-Salmon, tuna, or other fish
-A grain, such as rice, beans,
or whole wheat pasta
-Vegetables as a salad or a side dish
-Vinaigrette or olive oil/vinegar for salad
-Fruit or yogurt as a dessert

LUNCH should be between 400 and 500

calories each day.
-Wheat Sandwich
-Tuna
-Side Salad
-Large salad
-Sugar-free Iced Tea
-Water
-Apple
-Cup of berries
-Whole grain pasta
-Fruit Juice
-Tomato sauce & meatballs -Side salad

SNACKS should be between 100 and 150

calories each day.
-Yogurt with fruit
-Apple
-Bag of pretzels
-Banana
-Granola bar
-Cup of fruit
-Orange

bladder, or blood in your urine: please see

your doctor immediately. These could be
signs of BPH or prostate cancer. Never leave
your health to chance.
Why is there so much
controversy about the PSA test?
Those who oppose routine PSA testing do so
because they believe it leads to unnecessary
prostate biopsies and/or treatment.
Dr. Samadi believes these concerns are
based on two faulty equations:
1.PSA Test + Biopsy = Infection
2.PSA Test + Prostate Cancer Surgery = Incontinence and Impotence

NOV - DEC 2015 THE AGRICULTURALIST 13

Neither of these is definitively true.

While there are potentially negative side effects to all medical procedures, there are also
very practical ways to mitigate these issues.
The answer is in the hands of the prostate
cancer specialist.
Once your PSA level indicates the potential presence of prostate cancer, you
should seek the opinion of more than one
specialist. Choosing the right specialist is
very important. Align with a doctor or surgeon who is affiliated with a hospital with an
outstanding track record for treating and
eradicating prostate cancer in their patients.
Biopsy infection can be prevented with preand post-antibiotics and an adherence to recovery recommendations.
Regarding treatment, the majority of
criticism seems to fall on the surgical removal of the prostate gland. Robotic prostatectomy surgery is a very successful option
with very positive outcomes, if you choose
the right surgeon. Robotics is a hot trend in
hospitals now.
More facilities are purchasing the
equipment necessary for all types of robotic
procedures; however, access to the technology does not ensure success.
Robotic prostate surgeons must perform
thousands of procedures to achieve the expertise required to preserve sexual function
and urinary continence. The benefits of the
robot in the hands of an experienced surgeon
are unmatched.

Pesticide residues in food?

14 THE AGRICULTURALIST NOV - DEC 2015

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Gov't promises new deal

for agriculture, if re-elected

Courtesy of
jamaicaobserver.com
he ruling People's National
Party (PNP) is clear on its
targets if it is re-elected to office.
"A new deal for agriculture, to ensure that we feed ourselves, by modernizing the
production systems," was the
first objective named by Finance Minister Dr Peter
Phillips.
"It's going to involve giving access to credit," Philips
added as he explained that implementing that form of assistance would mean unlocking
the tenure system.
"Too many of our small
farmers don't have access to
credit, because they don't have

titles," Phillips pointed out.

That, he said, had to be
pulled together along with the
extension services under which
scientific research and assistance in the areas of marketing,
health, business principles and
new methods of farming are applied to agricultural activity.
Phillips gave the broad
outline of the Government's objectives at a news luncheon
hosted for the Portia Simpson
Miller Administration by Jamaica Observer Chairman Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, ahead of
impending general elections, at
the newspaper's headquarters in
Kingston last Tuesday.
A similar event was held
on Thursday for the Opposition.

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TROPICAL FARMERS
ALMANAC 2016

CALL US: 923-7471;

editor@theagriculturalist.com

What are the health risks associated

with pesticide residues in food?
esticides are chemicals used in agriculture to protect
crops against insects, fungi, weeds and other pests. In
addition to their use in agriculture, pesticides are also
used to protect public health in controlling the vectors
of tropical diseases, such as mosquitoes.
But pesticides are also potentially toxic to humans.
They may induce adverse health effects including cancer,
effects on reproduction, immune or nervous systems. Before they can be authorized for use, pesticides should be
tested for all possible health effects and the results
should be analysed by experts to assess any risks to humans.

Hazard and risk: what is the difference?

Scientific studies of the potential health effects of
hazardous chemicals, such as pesticides, allow them to
be classified as carcinogenic (can cause cancer), neurotoxic (can cause damage to the brain), or teratogenic (can
cause damage to a fetus). This process of classification,
called hazard identification, is the first step of risk assessment.

An example of hazard identification is the classification of substances according to their carcinogenicity

to humans carried out by the International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer
agency of WHO.
The same chemical can have different effects at different doses, that depends on how much of the chemical
a person is exposed to. It can also depend on the route by
which the exposure occurs, e.g. ingestion, inhalation or
injection.
Why does WHO have 2 distinct processes for hazard identification and risk assessment?
Hazard identificationin particular the IARC
classification of substances in terms of their carcinogenicityis the first step of the risk assessment
process. Classification of an agent as a carcinogenic hazard is an important indication that a certain level of exposure, for example from occupation, environment,
food, etc., could result in an increased risk of cancer.
Risk assessment for pesticide residues in food, as
conducted by the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide
Residues (JMPR), establishes a safe intake level. ADIs
are used by governments and international risk managers, such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission, to
establish maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides
in food. MRLs are enforced by national authorities to ensure that the amount of pesticide consumers are exposed
to in the food they eat over a lifetime will not have adverse health effects.
IARCs hazard identification and the JMPRs risk
assessment are complementary. For example, IARC may
identify new evidence from scientific studies on the carcinogenicity of a chemical and, when necessary, JMPR
conducts an evaluation or a re-evaluation of the safety
of that chemical as it is used in food.
-A World Health Organisation feature

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