Insurance for coffee farmers slow in coming

Thu Dec 15, 2005

30 de dezembro de 2005 | Sem comentários English Geral

Por: RJR, Jamaica

Thu Dec 15, 2005

Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke is again expressing concern about the long delay in getting out insurance payments to the island’s coffee farmers.

Speaking at the Coffee Industry Board’s awards function Thursday afternoon, Mr. Clark lamented the fact that many farmers have not received benefits months after Hurricane Ivan devastated their crops.

The Agriculture Minister also decried the growing problem of praedial larceny and called on industry members not to buy coffee from persons who can not verify that they are coffee farmers.

Turning to the wider agricultural sector, Mr. Clarke said Jamaica’s problem is not one of inadequate marketing of export crops, but inadequate production.

He added that there is a need to increase volume in order to generate profits and that the Ministry is doing its part in trying to boost production.

Thursday the Coffee Industry Board honoured 24 employees for excellence and long service to the sector.