SOURCE: Loop News
Local banana farmers, effective today (January 10), will again benefit from a 30% discount on fertilizer, Agriculture Minister Alfred Propere said Monday.
According to Prospere, the Ministry of Agriculture will once again commence the second phase of subsidies on fertilizers to banana farmers to assist with quality and production issues.
Cognizant of the rising high cost of fertilizer, the government from September to December 2022, provided relief to banana farmers via a subsidy on several fertilizer blends.
Farmers were entitled to two of the 50kg bags or four 25kg bags of fertilizer per acre.
Three hundred and twenty-six farmers benefited from the first subsidy.
“A total of 3124 bags of fertilizer were sold comprising 1286 bags of the 25 kg and 1838 bags of the 50kg… I am appealing to all farmers to go to the NFTO in La Caye to begin purchasing the fertilizer,” said Prospere.
Prospere says there is a high demand for bananas out of Saint Lucia; however, local farmers need to supply the quality and quantities desired.
He is hopeful that farmers will take advantage of the subsidy, which will assist them in their production.
“We are very concerned about the banana farmers because we understand the impact it has on them; we know what happened with the situation in London regarding the market, but we are doing very well in penetrating the regional market,” Prospere said.
His ministry is currently discussing with a buyer in Trinidad and Tobago who offers to purchase at least 3000 boxes of bananas weekly.
“Currently, we are exporting 1000 boxes to Trinidad and based on what I am getting from the NFTO, we are unable at this time to meet the quota of the 3000.”
“Quality issues have always been a concern. I want our farmers to put more effort into providing high-quality fruit.”
Saint Lucia currently exports bananas to Barbados, Antigua, Trinidad, St Maarten and St Thomas.