Agriculture Minister Alfred Prospers has responded to claims that Saint Lucia is in a food crisis, noting that in recent weeks, people have complained about a lack of food.
“When you go to the supermarket shelves, you don’t see plantains. You don’t see bananas,” Prospere said.
But he told the programme ‘Agriculture On The Move’ that lots of dasheen are available.
“So when I hear some people say we’re in a food crisis, I am not certain that we are suffering a food crisis in Saint Lucia,” the Minister stated.
Prospere made the remarks while highlighting the government’s efforts to assist farmers in recovering from the impact of Tropical Storm Bret.
Bret destroyed over seventy-five percent of Saint Lucia’s banana and plantain crops on June 22.
The storm also impacted other areas of the agriculture sector, including livestock.
However, the Agriculture Minister recalled that during Hurricane Elsa in 2021, there was a similar situation.
“Once you do not have bananas and plantains, there would definitely be a gap,” Prospere explained.
But he was confident that by early November, the availability of bananas, plantains and other crops would return to normal.
He hoped citizens would be more patient in this regard, recognising that a natural disaster caused the situation.
The Minister observed that Bret created a significant setback for farmers.
However, the government obtained $2.4 million in farmer assistance and a thirty percent subsidy.
Prospere explained that the $2.4 million was not to compensate farmers for their losses or damage but to provide relief and help them get back into production.
He told ‘Agriculture On The Move’ that farmers have taken advantage of the relief.
“We have paid up to ninety percent of the farmers in terms of compensation for bananas and plantains and we have also done the same for vegetable farmers,” Prospere stated.
In addition, he spoke of nearly one hundred percent payout to farmers who suffered storm damage to their infrastructure or whose livestock Bret impacted.
“The only sub-sector that we are yet to begin compensating is the sea moss farmers who we know lost a lot of their sea moss material,” the Minister stated.
But he said the Ministry was awaiting National Insurance Corporation (NIC) information to put in the system to begin the payout process.
It was not as bad for Elsa. It was not close. Elsa was 74mph while Bret was 70mph. Farmers got moore compensation for Elsa from the then UWP government.
The only crisis is the prices
Offcourse St Lucia has a food crisis. Every single item in Massy cost more than the guy with a little shop in my neighbourhood. I checked their tuna fish, above 3 dollars for small can, every single brand. The guy in his little shop have certain brands below 3 dollars. Massy MUST GO!. why is st lucia government not encouraging other supermarkets to operate here?
These is not a food crisis but there is certainly a crisis with the pricing. I tried t o make a switch from potatoes to dasheen and oh boy I had to jump back to the potatoes. After paying 20 dollars for three dasheens that could only served myself for 2-3 times while the rest of my family watch me in whitemouth. I won’t lie this island cost of living is skyrocketing and this will have people move to more affordable market because of the following:
1. Increase of cost of living.
2. increase of crime
3. poor educational training
4. poor health care
5. high unemployment
The minister needs to trend and trend of his words properly. As much as he have good intent dont get dragged into the mess your collogues are well wicked of.
Don’t blame the government for shhhh it’s the American food they want so we’ll go Massy and pay for it and don’t bawl . Eat what we grow and grow what we need. Go down Clark Street that’s all you seeing dasheen plantins ground provisions galore. We have plenty fish we never out of pori and chicken so I don’t know who are bawling there is no food. Really ??? Must be them up North oh well too bad.
Fellow St.lucians let’s not depend on governments for food security. Each household should be engaged in some sort subsistence farming. Most of us a fortunate enough to have backyards or small plots to grow our own food. Do it now, don’t wait till the crisis starts, because the crisis is well on the way.
Supermarkets selling one small drydasheen for $12 and that’s not a crisis? They say it is low supply, are you delusional?
Again …. AGRICULTURE should be our main industry. So much potential and longevity. Even if we are hit by a hurricane of over 100 mph winds; there are “cushions” to break our fall (it may take some time, but the cushions are there).
If we fail at Tourism – where are the “cushions”?? Who, or what, will bail us out?
Martha have young plantains selling in vieux fort plus they have stolen jelly coconuts selling by the la Ressource bridge in vieux fort
Minister needs prayers and deliverance amen
I am a Lucian national in Canada. How can I help family?