In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a strategic move to bolster agricultural productivity and trade has been initiated, focusing on hot pepper as a primary crop for development. This decision emerged from a virtual value chain selection workshop, where stakeholders from both the public and private sectors evaluated six crops for their potential scalability. With the guidance of FAO Trade Development Consultant Jai Rampersad, hot pepper was identified for its high export potential among the crops considered, which included sweet potato, plantain, coconut, mango, and breadfruit.
The stakeholders underscored the necessity of selecting specific hot pepper varieties for cultivation and addressing market gaps to ensure the crop's commercial viability. Emphasis was also placed on maintaining consistent production levels of the chosen variety to facilitate the success of this agricultural venture.
The workshop saw contributions from various entities, including the Eastern Caribbean Trading Agriculture and Development Organisation (ECTAD), the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN), regional and international exporters like Vincy Fresh and Pure Caribbean Distributors alongside Seasons Farm Fresh, Inc. Public sector input was provided by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry, and Labour, discussing the nation's commodity performance and prospects for augmented production and export.
Source: stvincenttimes.com