Hotels eye farmers' market
Published:Saturday | May 14, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer
SOME HOTELS on the north coast are now showing an interest in produce available at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries' farmers' markets.
On Wednesday, chefs from Runaway Bay Heart Hotel and Breezes Runaway Bay Resort visited the farmers' market at White River, St Mary, which was being held midweek for the first time in the parish.
Chefs Dennis McIntosh, Mark Cole and Dwight Cross spent over half an hour viewing and inspecting the quality of the produce as they sought to determine a way forward in acquiring local produce for the hotels.
"What we see is the opportunity to really go directly to the farming communities, and determine what we want from them, and for them to supply it in the kind of quantity and quality that we require," McIntosh, of Runaway Bay Heart Hotel, told The Gleaner.
"We made some headway by speaking with some of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority representatives, and they are very keen for us to develop a relationship, whereby we can really support one another in this initiative and, in doing so, support the Jamaican farmer," he added.
The Wednesday market had its fair share of support. One customer, Mary Nelson of Exchange, St Ann, who said she has been a regular supporter of the market since it began, turned out on the new day.
"I used to be here every Friday, but now it has changed to Wednesdays I'm still here," said Nelson. "I'm here because I can get the best fruits and vegetables, fresh and nice, clean and pretty. And it's convenient, nice parking space and thing."
More than 230 vehicles were recorded as having visited the site by 9:30 Wednesday morning.