Minister of Agriculture Anthony Smith Jr has outlined strategies for utilizing land in Venezuela, allocated to Antigua and Barbuda under the AgroAlba agreement. This initiative aims to enhance agricultural productivity by leveraging the granted land.
In related developments, 11,000 pineapple plants are currently cultivated at Cades Bay, with an expansion plan targeting 200,000 plants. The process began with 25 tissue samples sent to St Vincent's Orange Hill Biotechnology Agriculture Centre for multiplication.
Bailey explained, "We are at the fundamental stage now where we are trying to generate the planting material to share the planting material and thereby provide the foundation to build the sector." The Cades Bay Agricultural Station, a key site in the 1980s, is undergoing restoration funded by the IICA DG Single Fund for Technical Cooperation.
Bailey highlighted the time-intensive nature of pineapple production, stating, "Pineapple is not a three-month crop; the crop duration itself is quite lengthy and you usually don't get food before 14 months even if you use hormones."
The Ministry's focus remains on producing adequate planting material, prioritizing this over immediate food production for the next two years.
Source: Antigua Observer
