KINGSTON, Jamaica: – The Agro-Investment Corporation (Agro-Invest), the investment facilitation arm of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Mining, has embarked on a drive to identify, reclaim, and repurpose under-utilized assets under its charge. To this end, Agro-Invest will seek to regularize tenure arrangements, rehabilitate and retrofit properties in disrepair, and seek investors to lease and operate storage and processing facilities. The updates are as follows:
New Forest Packaging House Facility
This packing house facility, completed in 2018 through an investment loan to the Government of Jamaica as part of the Agricultural Competitiveness Programme, has never been operationalized. In 2023, Agro-Invest entered discussions with the New Forest/Duff House Water Users Group to finalize a lease arrangement for the facility’s operations. However, these discussions did not result in an agreement, and Agro-Invest is now taking steps to attract agri-business investors to manage and operate the facility. The focus is on securing partners eager to support value-added Agro-processing operations, utilizing local agricultural output to stimulate economic activity in St. Elizabeth and beyond.
Agro-Invest views this move as an opportunity to breathe new life into a significant agricultural asset that has not yet been fully utilized. Positioned in a region known for its farming activities, the packing house has the capacity to bolster agricultural productivity, boost export potential, and empower local farmers to capitalize on value-added opportunities.
Coleyville Cold Storage Facility
Design work has been completed for the rehabilitation of the Cold Storage facility, which includes electrical and photovoltaic systems for renewable energy, as well as a wastewater treatment system. The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) will now undertake a tender process to secure a contractor for refurbishing the six storage bays.
Chairman of Agro-Invest, Ian Murry, expressed the corporation’s enthusiasm for the future of both facilities: “We see incredible potential in both the New Forest Packaging House and the Coleyville Cold Storage Facility. These are key resources that can play transformational roles in Jamaica’s agricultural value chain. The New Forest facility can boost post-harvest processing, ensuring that our farmers’ products meet the highest standards, while Coleyville offers critical storage solutions that will enhance the shelf life of produce, opening doors to new markets and opportunities.”
By optimizing these facilities, Agro-Invest aims to maximize their contribution to the sector’s growth and sustainability.
Agro-Invest remains committed to advancing public-private partnerships that drive growth in Jamaica’s agricultural sector. As the corporation continues to repurpose critical assets, its goal remains clear: to ensure that every resource is fully leveraged for the benefit of Jamaica’s farming communities and the nation’s broader economic development.
For further inquiries, please contact: ALECIA BROWN-FORBES, Manager, Marketing & Communications, Agro-Investment Corporation. Tel: (876) 878-0616,
Email: abrown-forbes@agroinvest.gov.jm
