Government eyeing yield from red peas crop

Barrington Flemming, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Government's plan to gradually reduce the nation's $1 billion import bill is set to get a boost within the next eight weeks as Caribbean Broilers (Jamaica) is set to start reaping its 25-acre red peas crop, which it undertook as a pilot project with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke said earlier this week that the Government would be paying keen interest to the yield from the project as the overall plan is to significantly expand production of red peas.

"We are looking forward to this crop to see the yield, as we intend to expand it from the 25 acres to 800 acres at the Caribbean Broilers location," said Clarke. "We are looking to include other small farmers in other areas as well."

Impacted by drought

In explaining why Jamaica was forced to go to the import market for red peas, Clarke explained that local production was negatively impacted by factors such as drought in the primary red-peas growing areas. In addition, cheaper peas could be had from countries like Belize and the United States, which both engage in mechanised farming.

"The economics of it is that our planting methods have not been so cost effective and those countries that have mechanised farms reduced cost of production, so we were not competing well with them at all," Clarke stated.

"We will be looking at some irrigated areas like Hounslow, in St Elizabeth, Ebony Park and Spring Plains in Clarendon, and some other areas where we would be putting in irrigation to boost production," Clarke said.

The agriculture minister said a campaign will be launched to encourage more small farmers to get involved in the project, working in tandem with the JAS.

Five-year read peas import bill

Year Type of peas Cost2008 Red Kidney - 2.9 million kilograms US$5.2mSmall Red - 2.4 million kilograms US$4.7m2009Red Kidney 3.3 million kilograms US$5.9mSmall Red 2.8 million kilograms US$4.2m2010Red Kidney 3 million kilograms US$3.9mSmall Red 2.7 million kilograms US$3.3m2011Red Kidney 2.2 million kilograms US$ 3.6mSmall Red 2.9 million Kilograms US$ 4.7m2012Red Kidney 3.02 million kilograms $US$5mSmall Red 2.7 million kilograms US$4.3m