Jamaica Banana Export To Trinidad Brings Good Cheer

December 24, 2017December 24, 2017 JA-Blogz News Team

Good To Go! – That seems to be what Mr Patrick Johnson (left) of the Plant Quarantine Division in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries appears to be saying to his portfolio Minister, The Honourable Karl Samuda as General Manager of The Banana Board, Mrs Janet Conie looks on.

It will be a merry Christmas for the 13 small farmers who fulfilled The Banana Board’s inaugural shipment of bananas to The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

The container which was loaded at the Agricultural Marketing Corporation (AMC) complex on Thursday under the watchful eyes of the Plant Quarantine Division, Canine Division and The Banana Board; is all packed and ready to go on Christmas Day. The farmers who have already received a 50% deposit on payment supplied the required 900 boxes weighing 36,000 pounds.

In a brief statement, Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, The Honourable Karl Samuda lauded the hard work of the farmers and The Banana Board.

“This export to Trinidad is very encouraging. I am extremely proud and pleased with what I see and the level of efficiency in the packaging. We have to start working within our extended local market, as we can learn how to be competitive within CARICOM,” said Minister Samuda.

General Manager of The Banana Board, Mrs Janet Conie cited the thrust to enter new markets and increase production and productivity in the Jamaica Banana and Plantain Industry. “Through the Banana Export Expansion Programme (BEEP) we aim to stimulate production quantity and quality to meet export demand. This is a landmark export, entering a new market for the Banana industry in Jamaica,” she said.

The shipment to Trinidad will initially consist of one container weekly for the next six months and is expected to increase to three containers weekly, after that. All fruits were sourced from Global G.A.P. certified farms, an international standard guaranteeing food safety.

Mrs Rita Hilton, Chief Executive Officer of Carita Jamaica Limited which has been contracted by The Banana Board to consolidate and ship on their behalf, was encouraged by the spirit of optimism and committed to providing the cost-effective way to get bananas to market.

The Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, The Honourable Karl Samuda cuts the ribbon to the container holding the landmark shipment of bananas to Trinidad alongside Mrs Janet Conie (right) General Manager of The Banana Board and Mrs Rita Hilton, Chief Executive Officer at Carita.

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