In a revealing statement, St Lucia's Agriculture Minister, Alfred Prospere, highlighted the island's struggle with banana overproduction, exceeding the market's absorption capacity. This year's output starkly overshadows last year's, with Prospere expressing concern over failing to hit the 15,000-box weekly export target. The aftermath of Tropical Storm Bret, which decimated over 75% of the island's banana and plantain crops in June 2023, contrasts sharply with the current surplus.
Prospere pointed out competition from the Dominican Republic and Suriname in the Barbados market as a challenge for local exporters. Disturbingly, he mentioned instances of bananas being fed to pigs, a practice he hopes will cease, emphasizing, "Our bananas are too important to be used for that." In efforts to mitigate the glut, Prospere disclosed hiring a new buyer for exports to St. Thomas, despite logistical challenges in shipment durations. He remains hopeful for this opportunity to alleviate the surplus.
With the National Fair Trade Organisation (NFTO) confirming the surplus, Prospere underlined the government's non-administrative role in the NFTO but assured support for banana farmers. As St Lucia enters a period of expected high production, the minister's focus is on navigating the current overproduction while bolstering the banana export sector.