Agriculture Minister Alfred Prospere has emphasised the need for Saint Lucia to shift from dependence on bananas in its agriculture diversification efforts.
“The whole dependency on just bananas in the past, we need to move away from that,” Prospere told reporters Tuesday amid moves to strengthen measures against the introduction of the devastating TR4 banana disease.
The Minister explained that even before the TR4 threat, there had always been a need to diversify.
Prospere recalled a heavy dependence on bananas in recent decades.
“We saw what happened to the bananas in terms of the U.K. Fortunately for us we have a very good market for us in the region that can take our bananas,” the Minister explained.
Nevertheless, he said diversification was necessary.
Prospere noted the importance of an agriculture sector resistant to climate change.
He said for that reason, a push is on with the cocoa project launched last year that would allow the production of one million plants to satisfy the demand.
“There is a high demand for our soursop. There is a high demand for our avocados. Now we are getting calls from the U.S. for our breadfruit,” he stated.
In addition, Prospere pointed to the sea moss sub-sector’s importance and its impact on rural people and communities.
And the Minister also observed that the authorities were pushing honey and other products to make agriculture a more diversified sector.
Any third-party or user posts, comments, replies, and third-party entries published on the St. Lucia Times website (https://stluciatimes.com) in no way convey the thoughts, sentiments or intents of St. Lucia Times, the author of any said article or post, the website, or the business. St. Lucia Times is not responsible or liable for, and does not endorse, any comments or replies posted by users and third parties, and especially the content therein and whether it is accurate.
St. Lucia Times reserves the right to remove, screen, edit, or reinstate content posted by third parties on this website or any other online platform owned by St. Lucia Times (this includes the said user posts, comments, replies, and third-party entries) at our sole discretion for any reason or no reason, and without notice to you, or any user. For example, we may remove a comment or reply if we believe it violates any part of the St. Lucia Criminal Code, particularly section 313 which pertains to the offence of Libel. Except as required by law, we have no obligation to retain or provide you with copies of any content you as a user may post, or any other post or reply made by any third-party on this website or any other online platform owned by St. Lucia Times. All third-parties and users agree that this is a public forum, and we do not guarantee any confidentiality with respect to any content you as a user may post, or any other post or reply made by any third-party on this website. Any posts made and information disclosed by you is at your own risk.
And don’t forget Mr Minister – there is also a very HIGH DEMAND for the ALOE VERA plant which has NO season, is a rhizome (similar to bananas) and which has over 100 uses for both internal and external consumption, and is also a very highly volatile fertiliser. This plant carries a wealth of uses in both the health and wellness sectors. It is also very easily transportable in its natural state using the correct conditions. Take note.
At the same time, it is a welcoming breath of fresh air to know that SLU can, and is, moving away from bananas. The other agricultural products mentioned are a good start. Bravo!!
HONEY, AVOCADO, BREADFRUIT, COCOA, SEAMOSS AND YESSS ALO VERA ALL GOOD STUFF ALL THOSE PRODUCTS ARE SUSTAINABLE. LETS GET CRACKING. I WILL MISS THE BANANAS THO. I WILL HAVE TO EAT THEM WHEN I COME HOME ON VACATION.
Theres a high demand for coca leaves, weed leaves and hem leaves. Let’s do it we drowning down here slowly either way we gotta hell.
Stat with BANANAS Lucian’s, no listen to that minister, probably drinking too much rum.
Mahlo!
Man people do not even planting anymore because of thief s