“Prepare to consume more locally produced food in 2021”
This island’s Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Saboto Caesar, has asked the nation, to “be prepared to eat more locally produced food in 2021″. He stated, that with the reduction in the demand for many of our products on the export market, there is no option but to reduce imports, by supporting local producers.
He further noted, that this call has been made before, to “buy local”, however, the present negative resultant implications of COVID 19, demand that we are more targeted in achieving this goal of increasing local consumption.
While we produce a large percentage of the food that we consume, the current food import bill is in excess of 100 million dollars.
The Minister outlined that over the next weeks, the “Commodity Approach” to production will be discussed with all food-producing and marketing stakeholders.
“There is a need for greater alignment between producers and markets; and the current Extension Service structure in the Ministry of Agriculture does not efficiently advance that cause.
Hence, the technicians in the Ministry are currently addressing all possible amendments.”
The Minister was confident that stakeholders will be able to take maximum advantage of supplying for the growing tourism sector.
The construction of several hotels, and the opportunity which is within touching distance of having scheduled direct commercial transatlantic flights, will all provide significant opportunities for producers in SVG, he concluded.
