Rabbit rearing, coconut growing to be promoted, says agriculture minister
AGRICULTURE MINISTER Floyd Green is anticipating that rearing of rabbits and marketing of coconut-based products, both of which his ministry is currently pushing to promote in Jamaica’s agricultural sector, will benefit farmers who come on board to integrate both elements in their potential market chain.
Speaking to journalists last Thursday, following a tour of three farms in the Perth Town, Clark’s Town, and Jackson Town communities in Trelawny, Green noted that cultivation of rabbits for meat has potential for growth among local farmers despite some initial resistance due to cultural norms that do not include consumption of rabbit meat.
“We have been, for a long time, looking at developing a programme around rabbits. It was really good to visit one of the farms today [Thursday] and see that they are already far along in relation to rearing rabbits for meat production. It is high-quality protein, low-cost, and significant in terms of its reproductive capacity, so it’s one of the things that when we think about food security and we think about where can we get low-cost protein, rabbit ticks the box,” said Green, referring to his observations at the JDJR Hyde Farm in Clark’s Town where rabbits are raised for meat.
“We have had some cultural challenges out there, but I think more people see that it is also in demand … and I think more people will get into it as a business. I think that is something we have to look at, at the Ministry of Agriculture, and we should be providing more attention on that,” Green added.
As far back as 2012, rabbit rearing in Jamaica was reported as having a lucrative potential market, with residents of Axe and Adze district in Mt Peto, Hanover, selling rabbit meat at that time for up to $300 per pound and the skin being sold for creation of clothing, handbags, and accessories.
Two years later, in January 2014, it was reported that hotels and supermarkets were seeking large volumes of rabbit meat to provide to prospective buyers, in some cases making orders of 500 to 1,000 pounds at minimum. The following month, Caribbean Producers Jamaica Limited (CPJ) announced that it was assessing the viability of rabbit meat as an addition to its protein offerings.
As recently as 2020, the Jamaica 4-H Clubs began a drive to get more Jamaicans to consume rabbit meat, while also looking to revive the Jamaica Rabbit Breeders Association.
FOCUS CROPS
On the subject of coconut farming, Green said coconuts are among the potential focus crops that Trelawny-based farmers could seek a viable market for.
“We saw a big push for coconuts, and that’s one of the areas that we’re trying to get more focus on. We are not supplying our local demand for things like coconut water, and I won’t even talk about the external demand; things like our coconut oil are in tremendous, tremendous demand all over the world. It is good to see that push, and we’ve been working through the Coconut Industry Board to extend that,” said Green.
“I think one of the good takeaways that I see for parishes like Trelawny, St Ann, and St James, that have a tremendous tourism outlay already, is how do you infuse what you’re doing in agriculture with some ecotourism. I think that is something the Ministry of Agriculture has to work with the Ministry of Tourism to promote more of, in terms of farm tours, bringing people to see how we produce the best food in the world, and I think we will get a lot of people from near and far to come and see that,” Green added.
In 2017, veteran hotelier and Negril Chamber of Commerce founding father Daniel Grizzle recommended that the Government should give greater support to the Coconut Industry Board to increase coconut cultivation in Jamaica, along with showing young people in western Jamaica how to make a living and build wealth from agro-tourism.
In 2020, a new board of directors for the Coconut Industry Board was announced for appointment, with the expectation that they should identify suitable lands for increased coconut production.