A Nevis Hydroponic Farm
Basseterre, St.Kitts – Nevis
April 13, 2010
Marine Resources.
The Department of Agriculture ““ St Kitts, an arm of the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Constituency Empowerment of the Federal Government, has issued a report indicating the anticipated production levels of a number of food crops, for the months of April and May 2010.
Items covered in the report are Tomato, Sweet Pepper, Peanut, Sweet Potato, Watermelon, Pumpkin, Cabbage, Carrot, Onion and White Potato, while the statistics relate solely to commercial farms operating on St Kitts.
The statistics reveal that the output of several crops will in fact be adequate to meet national demand. These include peanut, pumpkin, carrots, onions, and white potatoes.
As a result of the foregoing statistics, recommendations were issued that there should be no importation of pumpkin, peanut, white potato, onion and carrot during the month of April, 2010.
Also, importation of tomato should be restricted to 10,000 pounds in April, and no importation of carrot should be permitted in May, 2010.
After reviewing the report, Dr. the Hon Timothy Harris ““ Senior Minister and Minister responsible for the subject off Agriculture ““ said that he is heartened by the forecasted performaance of some crops, which are expected to do very well.
Equally, Dr Harris commented that he is very concerned over those crops in which we will not be able to meet the domestic demand, and would have to rely on importation to cover the shortfall.
However, the Senior Minister again took the time to encourage current farmers to seize the opportunity to increase their production levels in the crops which are not meeting the quantities demanded by the domestic market.
Dr. Harris also issued a call for the emergence of new farmers to satisfy the void in the local demand of these commodities, and to generally expand the scope of production in fruits and vegetable farming.