The Ebony Park Agro Co-operative (EPAC) is a Friendly Society registered in 2016 with the aim of finding reliable markets for the crop production. The group operates in the Ebony Agro Park, located in the parish of Clarendon.
The EPAC is composed by 24 producers organized through an executive committee in charge of seek markets, negotiate production contracts, engage with financial institutions for loans and seek training and capacity building opportunities.
During its trajectory the group has obtained contracts from agro-processing companies like Tijule Company Limited, Grace, Walkers Wood and Supermarket chains like Jam Agro Ltd. Among the crop production that their members produce are tubs, condiments, fruits and vegetables.
At the present, the EPAC members (22 males and 2 females), have in average a farm size between 2 and 5 acres, managing a total of more than 200 acres of cultivation.
In their operations, their members have incorporated some climate smart technologies such as drip irrigation, plastic and grass mulch. Most of them, managed their plots with on-farm records, standards operation procedures (quality controls), planting schedule and following a good agricultural practices manual.
In recent years, the group has set up a “Revolving Escallion Project” to provide its members with planting materials and ensure collective sales through the cooperative. This initiative has generated additional employment for members of the wider communities, especially the women and youths during planting, harvest and processing of the scallion.
