A few decades ago, 46 years to be exact, I was studying Geography in India. World Geography at that! The focus was on all the continents equally.
A part of the syllabus contained Major Crop producers in the world and to my amazement the West Indies popped up with reference to sugar producers. Wow! Cuba was called the Sugar Bowl of the world. Most Caribbean island planted sugarcane as a cash crop. This industry is dead now except in Cuba and Barbados and some big islands.
Next came banana farming and exporting. Saint Lucia enjoyed the fruits of banana exports to the United Kingdom and other countries. Unfortunately, it is not so right now. Not natural disasters, not plant diseases are the cause of the demise of this industry. Latin American countries led by Ecuador and some European Nations are dominating the world banana markets as I write. Saint Lucian farmers are still being encouraged by the Ministry of Agriculture to re-plant bananas and subsidies were given on fertilizers etc. It is similar to flogging a dead horse.
Bret, threat of TR4 fungus are some of the excuses we hear from the Ministry of Agriculture. This threat is being addressed by the Mininstry through the Communications Unit of TR4 Awareness programmes. SLASPA, Customs, Massey supermarket chain , Flow and Digicel are supposed to be on board. Can they help (directly ) in the revival of the industry? Over cultivation drains the soil of nutrients and fertilizers only help growth and not the taste. PLANTS need good soil to grow and just not Fertilizers alone.
Ministry of Commerce, under which ESL ( Export Saint Lucia )operates claims to have exported Local Products to Northern Caribbean, Barbados and Dubai. None of these exports mentioned Bananas or Plantains, not even Chips.
Well, I am switching gears and am asking Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Commerce some hard and fast questions:
To all the esteemed personnel in the Ministry Of Agriculture,
1) Do you know that most, if not all the people in St Lucia plant Green Figs and Plantains in their yards or backyards?
2) Do you know what is CROP ROTATION?
Crop Rotation is the practice of planting different crops sequentially on the same plot of land to improve SOIL HEALTH. ( Less fertilizers used in turn. )
3) Do you know what is CROP BURNING and its Pros and Cons?
Farmers burn the stubs and weeds after harvest, in a controlled manner to improve the health of the soil in the field. ( It is called “ Prescribed Burns “ in USA. )
It humours me that St Lucians burn “ Bush” left, right and centre and are not educated about Crop Burning. I WILL LET THE BIGWIGS IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE PONDER ON THESE MATTERS.
Ministry of Commerce has the exact figures and quantities of Vegetables and Fruits imported per annum. According to Ministry of Agriculture, St Lucia imported 27 million ECD worth of fruits and vegetables in 2016. This is 2023, my humble estimate is that the amount would have gone up between 25- 40%. This makes me shudder because it is the consumer who pays for these products ultimately.
Sir/ Madam,(Respective Ministers) Please note the FOUR items I would like to bring into focus.
a) Import of Onions from Europe and other countries.
Tiloyon ( Spring Onions ) is grown by farmers, WHY NOT ONIONS?
b) Import of Garlic From Europe ,China and Asia.
Why can’t farmers be encouraged to grow it locally.
c) Import of Irish Potatoes from the USA and other countries.
If Saint Lucian farmers can grow ground provisions which includes SWEET POTATOES, Why can’t the farmers grow potatoes.
d) Import of Ginger from Europe and Asia.
Locally grown ginger is stronger than the imported one and the farmers should be encouraged to increase the output manifold.
All the four items mentioned above come into the country in REFRIGERATED CONTAINERS. After off- loading , these items are sent warehouses which might or might not have refrigerators . The supermarkets and Mini Marts bag them or pour them out for the consumers to purchase them. Here the Consumer is short changed again. These vegetables still have moisture and weigh more than what they should. Moreover, fungus is formed on all these items and some are even rotting.
The Ministry of Agriculture should collaborate with Ministry of Commerce and Business Houses and give buyback guarantee to farmers who cultivate the above mentioned crops.
A pilot project should be started by the Ministry of Agriculture sooner than later.
Come on my fellow Saint Lucians, Open your eyes to the world around you. By the way I have no Party affiliations. I just care for humanity.
Namaste, ( GOOD DAY ) till I write again.