(LOOP NEWS) Last year, a Saint Lucian delegation led by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, Hon Alfred Prospere, embarked on a quest to secure new and existing banana markets to assure the prosperity of the banana sector.
Following the most recent research efforts by Export Saint Lucia and the National Fair Trade Organization (NFTO) a new market was secured in Antigua. The first shipment of 460 boxes arrived in Antigua at the end of March.
Following that success, the Minister for Agriculture indicated that maintaining a high quality and consistent quantity of banana exports remains critical to the sector’s growth.
“I applaud Saint Lucia’s farmers because the quality of the fruit exported was encouraging. Antigua has expressed interest in importing high-quality bananas, as we have been doing for export to the UK. We need now to ensure that we work toward maintaining and improving that quality so that bananas can continue to be exported to the UK and other countries in the region.”
Minister Prospere added that during his visit he engaged in discussions with an established buyer on the possibility of using Antigua as a distribution hub for surrounding countries in the region. The meeting elicited positive feedback due to the high level of interest shown.
“Currently, we are moving between 2000 and 2500 per week. But we have asked for the possibility of increasing it to 8000 because we believe the opportunity exists for additional distribution to Antigua, St Kitts, St Thomas and St Maarten.”
As the focus of the Ministry of Agriculture remains on securing existing banana markets and expanding into new regional and international markets, farmers are encouraged to ensure that the quality of the bananas produced remains among their highest priorities.
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See it there Gassy, 🥸 if you focus on business and exporting goods to other countries, instead of denigrating people and litigating practices, Antigua 🇦🇬 would flourish economically.
St Kitt’s & Nevis, Barbados and Guyana are not standing still when it comes to improving the livelihoods for their citizens.
Gassy🥸 has definately taken his eye off the ball, and tied himself in knots over other peripheral things that has absolutely nothing with improving the lives of Antiguans. 🇦🇬
Sometimes, harsh WORDS are good for you to act in the best interests of the country prime minister, but always remember …
PEPPER 🌶 BUN HOT, 🔥 BUT IT ALWAYS GOOD FI CURRY 🍛
Finally. This is great news. We need to increase trade between our Islands. Especially Eastern Caribbean Islands that are members of the same currency union EC Dollar. That way we do not need foreign exchange to do business. We are buying too much from Trinidad and Jamaica. And even Barbados. And that requires foreign exchange.
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