Cassava and its many by-products had been on full show on the inaugural St. Thomas Cassava Pageant in Golden Grove, held on the Golden Grove Sports activities Advanced on Friday (February 28).
The occasion, which is poised to turn into an annual one for the parish’s Cassava Growers Affiliation Restricted, introduced collectively stakeholders, cassava lovers and patrons for a celebration of the beloved crop.
In his tackle, Chief Technical Director (CTD) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Orville Palmer, knowledgeable that cassava manufacturing is a spotlight of the Ministry, because the crop is wealthy in agro-processing and export potential.
Furthermore, with the World Financial institution indicating that the worldwide marketplace for cassava is rising, Mr. Palmer mentioned that “we have to make extra use of our cassava”.
“Jamaica is greater than succesful to seize a major quantity of the cassava world market. We have to ramp up cassava manufacturing [and] we additionally want to provide extra effectively in order that we will get extra out of every acre of land that’s underneath cassava manufacturing,” he said.
The CTD outlined that the Ministry will proceed to offer “greater than the same old consideration” to cassava manufacturing and the wants of cassava manufacturing.
“We have now to spice up our meals safety. Cassava is being focused as one of many crops that we proceed to concentrate on,” Mr. Palmer mentioned.
For his half, President of the St. Thomas Cassava Growers Affiliation Restricted, Nigel Levy, knowledgeable that the group was shaped in 2024, as cassava farmers within the jap facet of the parish eye a significant uptick in manufacturing of the crop.
“We have now over 200 acres of cassava rising on this Bathtub division, which ought to yield 1500 tons. In financial worth, [this will] flip over $100 million in our surrounding,” Mr. Levy mentioned.
“We at the moment are asking for stakeholders, businesses, politicians, farmers and everybody to help the cassava trade [in St. Thomas] in order that we will turn into one of many primary producers, of cassava not solely in Jamaica however within the Caribbean. We all know, with none doubt, that now we have the potential as a result of proper now although we’re incomes this, we’re beneath 50 per cent of our capability,” the President added.
In line with Mr. Levy, the group’s imaginative and prescient is to see cassava in St. Thomas develop to turn into what the sugar trade was for the parish some years in the past.
He mentioned that by internet hosting the cassava competition yearly, the group will proceed to showcase and promote the flexibility of the crop. “Subsequent 12 months will likely be greater and higher,” the President mentioned.
In the meantime, Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Thomas Jap, Dr. Michelle Charles, hailed cassava as a Jamaican image.
“Cassava is greater than only a crop. It’s a logo of our power, resilience and wealthy Jamaican heritage. From bammy to porridge to cassava punch, and to Purple Stripe beer – our farmers flip this humble root into one thing particular,” the MP mentioned.
Dr. Charles pledged to help the farmers with producing extra cassava within the parish, whereas declaring that, “occasions like this one present that the farmers have huge potential and that they want our help”.
