Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar made a significant and immediate opportunity for local dasheen farmers, underscoring the government commitment to strengthening market access and profitability for our key agricultural commodities, our “Blue Gold.”
The Lauders Buying Depot is poised to begin a major purchasing drive this week, sourcing high-quality dasheen specifically for lucrative export markets in the United States of America and the United Kingdom. This initiative is a direct result of ongoing efforts to secure consistent, high-paying markets for Vincentian produce. Farmers are urged to take full advantage of this window to deliver their mature dasheen:
Purchasing Location Lauders Buying Depot
Purchasing Day Thursday, November 13, 2025
Purchasing Hours 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Price Guaranteed $1.00 per pound (lb)
Export Markets United States of America (USA) & United Kingdom (UK)
This price of $1.00 per pound reinforces the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring a fair and profitable return for the hard work of our farmers, defending the value of our quality produce against low-price speculators.
To ensure smooth operations, proper logistics, and accurate payments, all farmers intending to supply dasheen must register their expected volume in advance.
Registration Period: Registration opens Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
Registration Location: Lauders Buying Depot.
This registration process is critical for the logistics team to ensure sufficient cold chain capacity and loading protocols are in place to meet the demands of our international partners.
The export push for dasheen is gaining crucial momentum, positioning Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as a reliable, high-quality supplier of this versatile root crop. The demand in the US and UK markets—driven by both Caribbean diaspora and mainstream consumers—is strong, and we are working tirelessly to fill that demand directly.
I urge all dasheen farmers, particularly those in the Windward corridor who utilize the valuable infrastructure of the Lauders Depot, to mobilize their harvesting operations and register their supply without delay. This is a chance to put more income directly into your communities and further cement the global reputation of our Vincentian “Blue Gold.”
