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The House of Representatives has passed the amended Agricultural Produce Act to introduce stiffer penalties for praedial larceny.
Agriculture Minister Floyd Green, who piloted the bill, said while it is not a cure-all, it is a critical addition to the tool kit in fighting this plague on the country's farmers.
In that regard, he asserted that the amendments will strengthen the existing regime, with "the biggest area of change" being the increased penalties.
The maximum fine for breaches under the law will now move from $250,000 (or three months in prison) to $3million or three years in prison.
The old penalties did not serve as an effect deterrent to the criminals, Mr Green noted.
Despite the changes however, Opposition Spokesman on Agriculture Lothan Cousins has declared that the amended Agricultural Produce Act will not achieve its intended purpose.
Mr Cousins claimed that there had been a lack of consultation with key stakeholders in a Join Select Committee to hear the concerns and address the shortcomings of the bill.
Accordingly, he said changes do not address the real needs of farmers in protecting their livelihood.
But in response, Agriculture Minister Floyd Green said all key stakeholders contributed to the drafting of the bill.
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