JAS eyes Denbigh expansion as exhibitor demand outstrips space

With interest in agriculture continuing to grow across Jamaica, the Denbigh Showground in Clarendon is rapidly becoming too small to accommodate the increasing number of exhibitors eager to showcase the sector’s expansion.

That was the assessment of Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) Chief Executive Officer Derron Grant as the curtain came down on the 72nd Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show on Sunday. He revealed that plans are already being developed to expand and reconfigure the facility to meet rising demand.

“We are running out of space to exhibit the best of what agriculture has to offer in Jamaica,” Grant said.

“And that is why our honourable minister [of Agriculture, Floyd Green], and our permanent secretary,[Dermon Spence] have tasked us with developing a layout – a plan to allow for us to grow the agricultural sector.”

Held under the theme ‘Growing Forward: Cultivating a Path to a Better Jamaica’, this year’s staging highlighted not only the resilience of the sector but also its increasing embrace of technology.

“One thing was clear in this year’s Denbigh [Show], was the show of technology, and how we can use technology to be more efficient,” he said.

Grant added that upgrading the showground has become a priority as the exhibition continues to expand.

“And, as we grow further, we intend to improve the facility to make it a little bit more comfortable for you.”

Demand for exhibition space now exceeds what the grounds can comfortably accommodate, particularly as producers seek to showcase a broader range of agricultural enterprises.

“We have over 400 small ruminants and cattle exhibits, and we have entries of persons wanting to enter more animals. We are now being told that we should allow things like fish to be exhibited ... to construct the fishpond and to do pigs.”

STEADY CROWDS

Grant’s comments came as thousands of patrons flocked to the showground on the final day of the three-day exhibition, turning the venue into a bustling hub of agriculture, commerce and culture.

Parish pavilions drew steady crowds as exhibitors highlighted the diversity of Jamaica’s agricultural sector, including displays from western parishes still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Melissa last year.

Many patrons said they attended to purchase fresh produce and plants at competitive prices.

For Beverly Anderson-Rutty, the annual event remains a fixture on her calendar, although she noted that some attractions from earlier years are no longer part of the programme.

“I love the excitement and I love the gospel show but, when I was younger, it was nicer, because we used to have polo jump with the horses,and I don’t see that happening anymore.”

Even so, she continues to attend each year to shop for agricultural and horticultural products.

“I also purchased vegetables and plants. It’s a little cheaper. But, this year, maybe because of Melissa, the things are not so fresh like one time, but they’re still good.”

Manchester resident Kasey Williams, clutching a mint tree he had just purchased, said the exhibition underscored agriculture’s importance while bringing Jamaicans together around the sector.

He told The Gleaner that the event highlighted agriculture’s contribution to national development and gave people an opportunity to appreciate its value.

Diana Thomas was equally enthusiastic. “I am enjoying Denbigh very much.”

Asked about the produce on sale, she replied: “Better price, better quality and better variety.”

After a two-decade absence, Pamela Dyer-Taylor said she was delighted to return.

“It’s been a long time since I last came ... about 20 years, and I am enjoying it so far.”

Her primary goal, she said, was to purchase fruit trees for her backyard farming venture.

The final day of the exhibition also featured an address by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, who reiterated the need for Jamaica to harness science, technology and local innovation to transform agriculture, while maintaining that farming remains central to the country’s economic independence.

The three-day showcase concluded with the traditional gospel concert, bringing another staging of the island’s premier agricultural exposition to a close.

olivia.brown@gleanerjm.com