Submitted by admin on April 22, 2009 - 20:52
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION COUNCIL
To assist in framing policies to bring about increased primary production, the Government in the latter part of 1963 called together an Agricultural Development Conference. This Conference was attended by representatives of all the major groups in the community associated with our export industries, the principal objective being to make recommendations to the Government as to how the needed increase in primary production could best be attained. To facilitate its work the Conference established a number of Working Parties to investigate and report on specific problems affecting agriculture, and another to report on the production targets for the next decade or, in other words, the levels of production which are physically possible of attainment. These targets would also take into account, in the light of present knowledge, likely markets and prices for our export products.
Subsequent sessions of the Conference have considered the various Working Parties' reports and the final session recommended the establishment of an Agricultural Production Council to supervise the carrying out of the Conference's decisions and to review the progress towards the attainment of targets. The Conference's recommendation has been adopted by Government. Thus the Council, on which farmers' organisations and appropriate Government Departments are to be represented, will form a direct link between Government and the industry. The constitution and functions of the Council were outlined in November 1964 by the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. B. E. Talboys.