Date: Tue 05-Oct-1993
Publication: Daily Nation

ONCE AGAIN officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries will
be carrying out production surveys of farm holdings around the island. This
was reiterated recently by chief economist Cephas Gooding.

Gooding stated that the random survey would target farm holdings in each
parish on a quarterly basis.

The chief economist pointed out that information on crops planted and
harvested in previous months would be gathered, as well as harvesting
expectations and planting intentions for the rest of the year.

Gooding added that details concerning the numbers of livestock and fruit trees
on properties would also be gathered.

He said that the survey was designed to provide information for the
development of appropriate policy initiatives to direct the course of
agricultural development.

It was also to provide the farming community with relevant statistical
information which it could use to co-ordinate planting schedules and cropping
patterns.