December 2016 | Business View Caribbean

80 81 the country, where we feel that we can expand, exponentially, the output. BVM: Can you speak a little about the fishing industry in Jamaica? SAMUDA: “That’s an area that we can ex- pand.We are limited in our fisheries to servicing our subsistence needs.We do export conch and, to some extent, we export some of the lobsters that we harvest. But the industry is not one that produces sufficient raw materials to process and export in any major quantities.We have to start exploring the possibilities of the pelagic, migratory fish that live in the deeper waters. But it’s very expensive and, so far, the types of activities in those areas are rather limited. But, we’re looking at it to see what we can do to engage in that kind of fishing. BVM: In summation, what are some of the most important points you would like our read- ers to know about your Ministry? SAMUDA: “That Jamaica has embarked on a model of agricultural expansion, and improve- ment of the lives of farmers that includes the holders of capital partnering with the farming community. That is, those persons and compa- nies that are engaged in other activities – in- dustry, distribution, tourism–will partner by providing capital to the farmers who will then, under contract, produce their needs that they can market; and, at the same time, satisfying the needs of the farmer, so that the farmers can produce without the difficulties that are asso- ciated with limited capital, unreasonable interest rates, and inconsistency of sales because they have to market their own product. If those provisions could be made through the marriage of the holders of cap- ital and the farmers, then that is a marriage that could see the expansion of agriculture in Jamaica. That is the cornerstone of our strategy– to make those with capital ap- preciate the important role that agriculture plays, and the kinds of profits that can flow from that partnership. “We also focus on agro-industry, where we move from primary production into secondary, so we use what we produce to add value; where the manufacturing com- munity and the agro-processors can use the produce from our farms to create the kind of attractive goods that can be marketed overseas and earn foreign exchange. That is the direction we have to go. “For example, we have traditionally been accustomed to growing cane; we process the cane and create sugar. And then, we ship it, in bulk, to the United Kingdom. They take it and refine it into refined sugar and sell that sugar back to us.Well, the time has come for us to do the refining, ourselves, rather than just taking the raw sugar and shipping it overseas for somebody else to process. The time has come for us to look at converting that raw material into a finished good that can be packaged and marketed overseas and domestically.” MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY - JAMAICA THE HON. J.C. HUTCHINSON MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO DONOVAN STANBERRY PERMANENT SECRETARY