St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda — 10th December 2025…… Today, the Government, through Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy Anthony Smith Jr., presented a comprehensive agricultural agenda in the 2026 Budget Debate — one designed to transform the national food system, bolster food security, and revitalize farming, livestock, and agro-industry across Antigua and Barbuda.
In the area of key investments and infrastructural development, The Ministry will now operate its own heavy-duty equipment division — enabling land clearing, farm-road construction, pond/dam building, and material mining, critical to modernizing farm infrastructure and reducing dependence on imported food.
Two new abattoirs — one for poultry and another for small ruminants and pork — are funded, and the existing beef facility will be upgraded, directly targeting the country’s $175 million annual livestock import bill.
In addition, a nationwide rollout of solar farm-lighting will support extended farming hours and nighttime work, boosting productivity and making farming more viable as a livelihood.
To boost market access and agro-processing, the Ministry has acquired the Ken’s Club property for the Central Marketing Corporation (CMC) to establish a major wholesale outlet with dry and cold storage — and a new agro-processing facility — to streamline the journey from farm to table. This will support local producers, ensure consistent market access, stabilize food prices, and create hundreds of jobs.
Minister Anthony Smith also announced that at the same time, the Government is developing an Agro-Industrial Park at Diamonds and an Agro-Eco Park at Christian Valley — combining agriculture, light manufacturing, packaging, and eco-tourism to stimulate value-added production, innovation, and export readiness.
Minister Smith also emphasized that agriculture is a cornerstone of national food sovereignty and sustainability. The renewed strategy aligns with the Government’s commitment to reducing reliance on imports and building local food security — a concern made more urgent by global supply chain uncertainties.
He reiterated that these measures are not mere policy promises — but concrete, funded investments that will provide long-term stability, expand domestic production, and support economic growth. (Ends)
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You know this is the last time I would comment on the purchase if the Kens Club Property for the use by CMC. And it seems as if the so called opposition is not interested to look into this as well. Well Lazy and dumb UPP members this would at least give you some point over the ABLP.
And Brix why haven’t you looked into that. You claim to be an investigator. Well Mr. Investigator this one is so public you do not need to investigate much.
The owners are friends of the politicians. The owners are in deep financial problem. They need cash badly. They sit on assets that is worth nothing. But the political friends have decided to help them out by purchasing property for a price not worth it. Its like when the UPP was buying the Food City Building to help out the Winter family. Same situation we see here. Perhaps some of this money will come back in the form of Campaign contribution. No matter how you look at it, the amount of money spend for the purchase of this property will buy you three new large steel buildings to be use as warehouses for the exact use that the minister wants to. The building presently there are old and not suitable for the use as planned by the minister. These building will have to be demolished. All of them. So what are you really paying for? The Land. How many acres is that about 3 acres. Well I’m sure government has a lot of acres sitting around that they can give to CMC if needed for expansion. So the argument just doesn’t stand. The rumors are the selling price is $9million.
I would say that is $3million per acre as I do not give a dime for the buildings.
That is for Beach Front Land. Would be about $70 per sq/ft. This deal stinks and this is the last time I’m saying this. It’s rotten to the bone. And Brix as you can see, I do criticize the ABLP when I don’t see eye to eye with them. Just like I said. I don’t eye to eye when the PM is obstructing the judiciary from taking its course in the ABIB Scandal, the John Ash Scandal, And sorry to see that Mr. King died in a US Jail and was brought home to be buried. The Duty Free Vehicle Scandal. Which should see our prominent car dealers all face the court, and perhaps some high level Public Servant who never ever get charged when they do most of the corruption in our government. And the thing I don’t understand is that the people that the PM protect each time do not like him at all. In fact they hate him. Baldwin Spencer hates him, Mansoor hates him, Abbott hates him, Eustace Francis hates him and many others hate him. Why them protect people who hate you. Lovell hates you but you didn’t throw him to the Odebrecht Lions. perhaps he would be in Brasil this time.
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