Jamaicans urged to plant a food tree for Labour Day today
Published:Tuesday | May 23, 2023 | 1:21 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
Three groups in Jamaica – the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Nature Touch Farms and FarmLinkr.com – will be merging resources and tools today to go beyond the Government’s Labour Day 2023 mandate of planting trees, but planting limes and lemon trees in the cool hills of Windsor Castle, Portland.
According to representatives of the two organisations, the local production of the precious citrus commodity has been significantly reduced in numbers in recent years, and they want to put a stop to it.
Also, before notice of the demand reaches the ears of overseas suppliers, and they flood the Jamaican market with imported limes and lemons, they want to make a change.
The title of their project is Plant A Food Tree Campaign’s Fruit Tree-Mendous To Feed Us Labour Day Project.
In a recent interview, Camille Needham, executive director of the JHTA, offered words of encouragement to persons to partner with the association’s initiative for Labour Day, and keep planting lemon and lime trees even after.
“We strongly endorse this project which will provide us with a guaranteed and consistent supply of limes and lemons that are so often in short supply, and at a significantly discounted rate,” Needham said.
Shelly Heaven, founder and chief executive officer, FarmLinkr.com, noted that, “Our Plant a Food Tree Campaign with a ‘twist of lemon’ for Labour Day was specifically designed for our hospitality industry partners, who we have been supplying with farm fresh produce for a number of years now.”
Heaven told The Gleaner: “In light of the ongoing problem with the low supply of limes and lemons, we look forward to welcoming players from the hospitality sector to sponsor lemon and lime fruit trees in this campaign. This is a remarkably simple and effective way to sustainably stabilise supply of these key citrus products to meet year-round demand in the industry.”
She also expressed her gratitude to the JHTA for believing in the Labour Day 2023 idea of planting lemon and lime trees.
“I am really excited to work with the JHTA, as it allows us to continue building our mutually beneficial relationship with the hospitality sector that we have formed over the years. Once we get the industry players on board, we are confident that this initiative will bring a lasting solution to a real and longstanding problem,” remarked Heaven.
The trees are expected to bear fruit within 12 to 18 months for lemons and 18 to 24 months for limes. Each tree is expected to produce approximately 60lb (27kg) of fruit each year, so 50 trees will yield approximately 3,000lb (1,360kg) of fruit. This information is to be used as a guide to the hotels on how many trees to sponsor based on their demand.
Jamaica’s National Labour Day Project
For 2023, the Government has outlined that the national Labour Day Project will be the planting of 10,000 trees along Highway 2000 in the vicinity of Hartlands and Old Harbour Road. The theme for this year is ‘Plant a Tree ... For Life’, which promotes climate change mitigation, food security, and road safety.
Other projects by private sector organisations
1. Food For The Poor and Bank of Nova Scotia will be building a greenhouse at Osbourne Store Primary School in Clarendon starting at 7 a.m.
2. Jamaica National Children’s Home being repainted by 138 Student Living starting at 10 a.m.
3. JSIF will be hosting renovation activities at August Town Primary School, St Allan’s Primary and Infant School, Edward Seaga Primary School, Denham Town Police Station and zones of special operations (ZOSO) checkpoints in Montego Bay.
4. Victoria Mutual Group will be painting and renovating the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library’s junior library section at Tom Redcam Drive in Kingston starting at 8 a.m.
5. The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation will be undertaken activities at Maverley Park (planting of trees) at 8 a.m. and in the Duhaney Park community at 8:30 a.m. The construction of fencing for Maverley Park was previously done ahead of Labour Day, but in recognition of the activities for the day.