Saboto Caesar, St. Vincent’s Minister of Agriculture, has directed dasheen farmers in SVG not to sell their produce for less than one dollar per pound.
According to Caesar, using marketing intelligence, the Trinidad and Tobago market will be unable to offer farmers a price that covers their production costs.
Caesar stated that his ministry has reached an agreement with two marketers in the United States of America who will be able to pay the necessary prices to local farmers.
“Based on marketing intelligence, the market in Trinidad and Tobago is currently bearing the high prices that we received earlier this year, but the ministry has worked out an arrangement with two marketers in the United States of America under which farmers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines who have dasheen are asked not to sell their dasheen for anything less than one dollar per pound.”
Caesar reiterated his demand on farmers in SVG not to sell dasheen for less than a dollar per pound, stating that markets such as the United Kingdom are doing well, with farmers able to sell their produce for $2.10 per pound just last week.
