VOL. 25 NO. 4 • AUGUST 2015
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THE MINISTER RAPS WITH THE QUEENS:
Minister of Agriculture, Labour and Social Security, Hon Derrick Kellier (front centre) and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry (back centre) share a moment with the contestants in the 2015 National farm Queens Competition at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries on Wednesday, July 29. Minister Kellier congratulated the girls on their involvement in the competition and for their interest in agriculture and encouraged them to continue to pursue this interest with zeal and enthusiasm. The National Farm Queen Competition is organized annually by the Jamaica Agricultural Society and the contestants are chosen based on their knowledge of agriculture. They are then judged in several categories, including the knowledge of farm practices, agriculture, etiquette, a written technical paper relating to questions from current agricultural issues, and a talent piece. Coronation of the National Farm Queen will be held at the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show on Friday, July 31.Turn to pages 10-15 for Denbigh feature.
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Ag Boards Yield Mixed Results
By Patrick Maitland, Editor-The Agriculturalist everal governments operated agricultural companies and organizations have been recording improved financial results, including profit/surplus, while others continue to flaunt the laws with outdated and incomplete financial reports.
Banana Board recorded a surplus of $77.4M The government’s chief agent for research and extension, the Banana Board, recorded a surplus of $77.4 million for the year ending Dec. 31, 2013. This represented an increase of $59 million or 320 percent over the $18.4 million recorded in the previ-
ous years. The Board achieved this surplus from total income of $105.5 million, including government subvention of $80.3 million, rental $12.8 million and grant of $9.4 million. Salaries and administrative expenses was $65.6 million, or 62 percent of total income. Some $322,980 was paid out to five directors.
JAS net assets grew by 20%
The Jamaica Agricultural Society’s (JAS) net assets grew by 20 percent over the last 12 years, to value $443 million at the end of the entity’s 2014/15 financial year on March 31. This figure, according to JAS President, Senator Norman Grant, represents an average annual growth of approximately
1.7 percent on the asset base, which stood at $370 million in 2003. It is also $8 million or two per cent higher than the $435 million recorded in 2014. Additionally, he said total year-on-year investments improved from $32.3 million in 2012, to $34.2 million last year.
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