Thursday, September 5, 2013

Banana Exports Up, Minister Says

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

St. Lucia should diversify and consider growing Organic Bananas. People are looking for food that is not pesticide or herbicide laden.
I am a tourist to St. Lucia during the winter months and I do not buy bananas there because I am unable to find organic. Also I have great difficulty finding vegetables that are grown without chemicals. Farmers should be encouraged to produce more local and chemical free fruits and vegetables. Tourists would really appreciate it. Healthy natural food = healthy people :)

September 5, 2013 at 3:08 PM
Anonymous said...

GREAT idea about organic bananas and all vegetables and fruits - grown THROUGHOUT the island. Better for all St. Lucians as well as tourist - adding more value to EVERYTHING in our small nation.

September 5, 2013 at 3:48 PM
Anonymous said...

Yes, small states should concentrate on quality because they could never compete on the basis of quantity.

September 6, 2013 at 8:11 AM
Anonymous said...

The minister is grasping at straws as he winds up in engaging in a risible effort to paint a rosy banana export performance picture.

Three percent in tonnage is in the realm of a statistical error.

More significantly and realistically would have been, information on the real contribution of this 3% increase to GDP and foreign exchange.

September 7, 2013 at 3:43 PM
Anonymous said...

These guys really do not know much about what really matters regarding managing this economy or any economy for that matter.

September 9, 2013 at 7:24 AM
Anonymous said...

Everybody involved in Agriculture knows that the drop in banana production was years in the coming... St Lucia as former British colony was the recipient of preferential trade stays.. This was illegal under international law and when the WTO finally ruled on it the coffin was built.

As a farmer the issues of vegeatble supply on Island are complex... relationships are in place between suppliers and purchaser both at supermarkets and hotels that exclude other growers. Hence the importation of produce.

As for Organic!!! as someone with significant experience of growing organically on island, When people are prepared to pay the real price for Organic produce the farmers will be able to supply, organic growing leads to significant drop in yields in the tropical climate as there are no frosts to kill pest cycles..

To finish, ALL FARMERS USE CHEMICALS... Organic farmer as well, its just that organic farmers use certified organic chemicals...
Fungicides for example.. all fungicides are based on Copper compounds.. organic ir none..

To say Farmers use too many chemicals is utterly naive...we use as little as possible .. they are expensive .

September 11, 2013 at 2:35 PM

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