‘We’ll work with you’ – Dairy board chairman makes investment appeal to farmers

Speaking during the recent launch of a communal milking parlour in Hillside, St. Thomas, Dr. Deslandes noted numerous industry developments occurring locally.

“We’re seeing big producers coming on board in Tru Juice. We’re seeing Serge Island Dairies pumping a lot of effort and energy and money into revitalising. We’re also seeing shifts in the landscape,” he said.

Dr. Deslandes pointed out that while land is “very important and critical” in agriculture, there are existing technologies or new production methods and systems that allow farmers to operate on smaller plots of land and still be able to produce high volumes of milk.

He noted that one of the avenues for providing assistance to farmers is the establishment of a centre at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining’s Bodles Research Station in Old Harbour, St. Catherine, “where we acquire all the tools and materials that the farmers need so we can lease or offer short-term rentals at a cost”.

“We’ll work with you; we will provide the hand-holding. If you don’t have land, don’t worry about it; once you can find source feed, we will assist you in providing the infrastructure to help you. The number of cows in milking is declining, but the productivity has gone up. So we have identified strategies to actually provide animals to farmers,” the Chairman said.

He further pointed out that the target for the sector to meet the local dairy consumption demand is 50 million litres of milk.

Regarding the new milking parlour in St. Thomas, Dr. Deslandes said it is the first of many, adding that the pace will be picked up to establish others across the island, as the facility is an important aspect of the sector’s overhaul.

The parlour provides a clean, sanitary space where animals can be milked by machines, and enables proper storage for the collection of milk.