“OPERATION HOMEGROWN” COMES INTO EFFECT!
Minister of Agriculture Hon. Saboto Caesar said his ministry has launched “Operation homegrown” where they are boosting the capacity of local farmers and backyard gardeners to increase production.
Speaking on radio on Monday, Minister Caesar said with the import tariffs from the United States, it is important that local production of crops and poultry are boosted to meet local demands.
“We are working closely with the Zero Hunger Trust Fund and we are going intensify our work with the farmers’ support company….in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we are an importer of large quantities of poultry, we want to ensure that over the coming weeks, months, years, that we reduce the importation of poultry and we increase the local production,” Minister Caesar said.
Thousands of broilers and layers have been distributed through the Zero Hunger Trust Fund, the agency has also distributed seedlings and seeds nationwide. In addition, 35-thousand-day old chicks were brought in and is currently being distributed.
“The target is not only commercial farmers…we are working with persons who may need 12, 24 as low as 6 … this definitely will have an impact on production and productivity in the country…we are also going to work with communities to ensure that we give them the necessary support, so …we can have a collective approach to community production of poultry,” Caesar explained.
Caesar also noted that Cabinet has approved for the purchase and importation of 5 thousand turkey and during this week, there will be a national announcement from the Ministry for persons who are willing to participate under the National Turkey Expansion programme.
