Open letter to Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining

I write concerning the current administration of incentives under the Fiscal Incentives (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013. The replacement of the traditional 20 per cent duty on farm vehicles with what is reported to be a costly and bureaucratic process through the Ministry of Agriculture and RADA, is of serious concern.

Reports from small farmers indicate that accessing these incentives now costs tens of thousands of Jamaican dollars. This burdensome bureaucracy is stifling agricultural output and undermining the productivity and viability of small rural farmers.