Jamaica tourism minister wants farmers to gain more from tourism

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Hon. Edmund Bartlett, the Jamaican Minister of Tourism, wants farmers to gain further from the 42
percent spending by Jamaica’s four million travelers on food. The minister emphasized that visitors relish the Jamaican fare that had to be delivered to make currency from the sector.

Referring to the magnitude of the value chain, Mr. Bartlett said that fruits and vegetables established
J$350 billion of request in tourism, and that they have been able to cater to only 20 percent of that.

Minister Bartlett spoke to an assembly of South Trelawny farmers in the rustic agrarian community of
Ulster Spring, after officially bestowing them with around fifty (50) 650-gallon water reservoirs. The
minister said that with the farmers creating an extensive variety of food produces, fruits and
vegetables, Trelawny is known as one of the bread baskets of Jamaica.

The Ministry of Tourism, with the help of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), is expending $10 million on the delivery of around 350 water storage reservoirs that are being dispersed to farmers in the communities of St. Elizabeth, St. Ann, St. James and in Trelawny.

St. Thomas, Portland and Westmoreland are set to follow.

The water reservoir storing scheme comes at a time when, as said by Mr. Bartlett, Trelawny as a community is going to, possibly, turn into the most touristic community in Jamaica.

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