News on Potato Cultivation from Jamaica

Jamaican Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, has called on farmers in Manchester to produce more Irish potatoes to satisfy the high demand of local fast-food restaurant operators and franchises.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries of Jamaica, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson says he is anticipating that Jamaica will achieve its goal of 100 per cent self-sufficiency in the production of table Irish potato this year.

Farmers in St Elizabeth, Jamaica, have increased cultivation of Irish potatoes more than four times over as the Government strives to meet the local demand of 15 million kilogrammes per year.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of Jamaica is to conduct research trials on 15 new varieties of imported Irish potato over the next three months, to determine their suitability for local conditions.