Agro Parks

Our commitment to agricultural production and enhanced productivity has resulted in the successful management of eight Agro Parks and ten Production Zones, covering a vast total area of 7,778 acres dedicated to agricultural excellence.

Our Agro Parks and their locations:

Plantain Garden River (PGR) Agro Park – St. Thomas

Located in eastern St. Thomas, the Plantain Garden River (PGR) Agro-Park sits on 253 acres of prime agricultural lands, of which 122 acres are irrigated, all 253 acres have been leased to over 70 investors. This Agro-Park is suited to the production of a wide array of crops from roots and tubers to herbs and spices.

The predominant soil types are golden grove sandy clay loam, killancholly clay loam, caron hall clay loam, Winchester sandy clay loam, bonny gate stoney loam and serge island sandy clay loam. Investors at this location are encouraged to produce pumpkins, hot peppers, irish potatoes and bananas to tap into unfulfilled local demand. Herbs and spices – especially ginger, is known to do extremely well on this Agro-Park.

Yallahs Agro Park – St. Thomas

The Yallahs Agro-Park located in the southwestern section of St. Thomas, was developed and implemented by the government of Jamaica through its Agricultural Competitiveness Programme (ACE). This programme was developed to build out agriculture, irrigation advocacy and supply chain systems that would be able to develop economies of scale in the Yallahs valley area and create employment and growth of the agriculture sector.  The Agro Park sits on 873 acres of land, where at least four community clusters have access to water resources, namely East Albion, Heartease, Norris and Phillips Field.

The predominant soil types are sandy and sandy loam, deal for crop production such as vegetables, condiments and orchard crops. Due to the location of the Agro-Park’s proximity to the sea, the planting of barrier crops and orchard crops which adds much value to the Agro-Park are necessary to break the wind that may have deleterious effects on fibrous root systems.

 Amity Hall Agro-Park – St. Catherine

Sitting on the major arterial access to the main aggregation points in the logistics hub, the Amity Hall Agro-Park in St. Catherine provides the catalyst for investors who are seeking to integrate primary production with value added and export trade.

The predominant soil type is Sydenham clay. Crops known to do well based on the existing climatic conditions and soil type include: cucurbits (watermelon, cantaloupe, zucchini, and squash), hot peppers and okra – all highly demanded by the hotel and food service industries. Roots and tubers, especially sweet potatoes, do well on this Agro-Park. The land is suitable for development of integrated agro-industrial systems as the wide expanse of 2,340 acres allows for the possibility for production at scale to provide throughput for agro-processing.

Spring Plain and Ebony Agro-Parks – Clarendon

The Spring Plain and Ebony Agro-Parks are adjoining properties situated off the Toll Gate Main Road in Clarendon. The properties are approximately 15km from the parish capital May Pen and 55km from Kingston, the country’s major commercial district.

The soil types at these locations are predominantly clay and clay loams which are derived from the deposits of the Rio Minho and Milk rivers. A mix of bonny gate stoney loam, st toolies and four paths loam are the most popular.

The 1,197 acres of lands at Ebony Park and 944 acres in Spring Plain are suited to the production of tubers, cucurbits, orchard crop such as fruit trees (mangoes, otaheite apples, papaya, and breadfruit), condiments and vegetables.

Both parks are best suited for investors who require upwards of 20 acres of land for production.

New Forest and Duff House Agro-Parks – Manchester/St. Elizabeth

The New Forest and Duff House area is located in a long valley inland from the Alligator Pond coastline in Manchester bordering St. Elizabeth. The area is surrounded to the north, east and west by steep hills. The terrain is generally uniform but rises steeply at the southern boundary line along the top of a terrace above the narrow coastal plain. The Agro Park is situated approximately 55km and 40km from the towns of Mandeville and Santa Cruz respectively. The road network between the Agro Park and these two major towns are in good condition, therefore inputs and materials for production can be accessed and transported readily.

Ninety per cent (90%) of the targeted farmers own their own farm plots, while six per cent (6%) are utilising leased lands; the remaining four per cent farm on family lands for which no rent is paid. The New Forest Duff House Water Users Association (farmers group) has been in existence for over twelve years and is the main farmers group in the area.

The New Forest Duff House Agro Park is best suited to cultivate the following crops; hot peppers, escallion thyme, water melon, pumpkin, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, sweet pepper and hot pepper.

The soil in the New Forest Duff House Agro Park area is classified as class 3. This class means that the land is good for agricultural production, but it requires moderate to intense conservation and management practices. With respect to soil type; the area selected for cultivation is dominated by the St. Ann Clay Loam. This soil type has a medium depth of 12- 18 inches and is suitable for the production of crops targeted for cultivation in the Agro Park. The areas which are not targeted for crop cultivation consist of rocks and Bonny Gate Stony Clay. This is a thin and stony soil and is non-arable.

New Forest Duff House has 880 acres of arable lands but only 288 acres are being cultivated presently. Over the years, the area has demonstrated its suitability for agricultural production, thus the need to target an additional 499 acres of land for the specific crops mentioned above.

Holland Estates – St. Elizabeth

The Holland property was transferred under the management of the Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC) which has the mandate to package, promote and facilitate investment opportunities in Agriculture.

The property which is approximately 935.52 hectares (2400 acres) will be developed into an Agro-Economic Zone, which is the central point for agri-business development in the parish. This Agro-Economic Zone will promote economies of scale (large scale production) and economies of scope (diversification of production) at each point along the value chain. The Agro-Economic Zone will create an environment where advanced technologies will be integrated into the existing systems, to boost production and productivity.

Value Chain Expansion

The value chain will be developed to include the following:

• Continuous research and development
• Inputs of the highest quality
• Good agricultural practices for crop production
• Efficient harvesting techniques
• Robust storage facilities (cold and dry)
• Efficient and effective transportation services
• Innovative and scientific agro-processing techniques
• Sustainable waste management practices
• Effective and innovative marketing strategies

Benefits of the Holland Property as an Agro Economic Zone

The Agro-Economic Zone (AEZ) will attract and retain profitable investors while providing support services that will make them competitive both locally and internationally. All the activities conducted in the zone will be geared towards food security, job creation, rural development, and economic growth. In addition, there will be introduction of climate smart agriculture and technologies, and a fully integrated value chain system which will potentially lead to overall sustainable national development of the country.

Investment in the Pipeline for Holland

There are approximately 230 investors/farmers interviewed and placed on the property and with the support of the Agro Invest Corporation many of these farmers have already commenced production or are preparing for production.

The 2400-acre zone will comprise farms, as well as packaging and processing facilities.  The project is expected to provide jobs for over 900 persons.