Agriculture Minister reports growth in sector

Drigo said 2016 was a good year for the farming community

Agriculture Minister, Johnson Drigo, has revealed that there was overall growth in all areas of the agricultural sector for the year 2016.

Speaking at a handing-over ceremony of the annual Minister’s Food Basket, at the Princess Margaret, on Wednesday, Drigo stated that there was increased production in various areas of the agricultural sector.

He credited the national abattoir for the increased production of pork and poultry.

“The year 2016 was a good year for the farming community,” Drigo said. “We saw an increase in production in several areas… an increase in the production of bananas. We saw the increase in local production of pork and poultry through our abattoir.”

The Minister also noted that over 1-million pounds of fish were exported for 2016, and expressed his desire to expand the fisheries sector in the coming year.

“We look forward to expanding in the fisheries sector, certainly. We were able to export over 1-million pounds of fish in 2016. I am expecting this to double in 2017,” he explained. “So, it looks good for us in the ministry of agriculture.”

Drigo stated that the food hampers presented to care institutions on-island are the Ministry’s way of sharing its good fortune with those in need.

“We are happy that we are able at this moment to share… the fruits of the labour of our farming community,” he said.

The annual donation is meant to assist caregivers in meeting the dietary needs of their dependents through locally grown, fresh and nutritious ground provisions, vegetables, fruits and meats. It also ensures that they receive a hearty meal during the holidays.

Other care institutions visited and presented with donations include the Grotto Home, Dominica Infirmary, Each One Teach One, Chances, Portsmouth Hospital, and Grange Home for the Aged.

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22 Comments

  1. Anthony P. Ismael
    December 25, 2016

    Although he looks well from the eye level test, I’m more concerned about his mental health as always. Each statement made about this failed sector of our economy that should be its engine, is further proof of the Minister’s failing mental health. With regular visits to a psychiatrist, delusions can be managed and one can still live a productive normal life, if they take their medications daily. It’s quite obvious that the Minister has definitely been off his medication for some time now. Let’s all join hands and help him get back on the right foot. Please tell him whenever you see him, that he would be doing us a huge favor if he were to follow his psychiatrist’s recommendations and present us with the truth about the agriculture sector, instead of the usual Labor rubbish-bin-nonsense. The good people from Castle Bruce must continue to look out for each other in times of need. :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P

  2. Anthony P. Ismael
    December 25, 2016

    And there he is, Mr. Minister of Agriculture in all his agricultural productivity glory.. Just in time for the Christmas season. Let’s cherish his message folks as Christmas only comes once a year. We have to wait 12 more months, before he speaks again. :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P

  3. August
    December 25, 2016

    I was home for the independence and all farmers
    Crying we planting and nothing selling everything
    Spoiling so this is a big fat lie mr minister

  4. December 24, 2016

    Well his big head not getting it I can hardly get a balay small fish to fry since I am here for vacation this man need a Mike

  5. December 23, 2016

    Many individuals can give definitions to dood year and if he wants to politically correctness. Shame shame, how we allow agriculture to die a painful death under this regime.

  6. Anonymous
    December 23, 2016

    yes mr. Drigo, if you sell two bananas instead of one that is a 100% improvement.Bananas are such a hot item they are scarce now and selling in the supermarket at $1.55/lb. so I guess there is no need to export?

  7. Me
    December 23, 2016

    You are rather pathetic mr. Drigo and cut a sad figure. I do feel sorry for you.

  8. Anthony P. Ismael
    December 23, 2016

    This must be a Christmas surprise. I didn’t know that we still had an agriculture sector. Drigo looks well rested. I wonder where was he hiding all these months? It seems that he’s in solitary confinement and every few months he gets a rare opportunity to speak on something that’s either not true or fabricated by the Labor Machine. :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P

  9. Lol
    December 23, 2016

    What a lie from our so call minister of agriculture. .what a shame

  10. December 22, 2016

    Sir which growth that you are talking about ? so many acres of idle agricultural lands all over the country even in your own constituency which growth that you are talking about ? the growth of your body mass ?

  11. %
    December 22, 2016

    This man is not the one who killed agriculture…Skerrit killed agriculture…Say the thing as it is…He Skerrit has now turned Dominica into a Passport Production Factory.

  12. Shameless
    December 22, 2016

    When Drigo drop the load of tarish infront Bame (his father) yard to be spread the next day it was also “tremendous” success. The poor man died umpteen years later and the tarish never spread. So the words “tremendous success” is just a replacement for “failure” under the DLP. John-dont-know is not even sure what his role as minister means muchless. Happy Christmas and Merry New Year John-dont-Know.

    Always Assertive! :twisted:

  13. enough is enough
    December 22, 2016

    oh Yes this is true !! we are producing so much and exporting so much that you can hardly get fresh veggie at the market !!!!!
    what a joke !!! tell the minister his medical treatment need to be change : IT IS TOO STRONG FOR HIM!!
    when last time you went to the market Mr Minister, not to show off but just to buy ?
    I was there Saturday : carrots form Gwada 6.00 ec$ carrots from dominica 7 ec$ you don t think there a problem ? stop to talk nonsense and obey like a little muppets, fight for the farmer instead abusing them

  14. viewsexpressed
    December 22, 2016

    Drigo, shame on you. Charity begins at home and in Castle Bruce all agriculture activities that was number one up to the mid 1990`s are dead. Castle Bruce is a very dead village with lost agricultural business.
    Pappy was there, Three co-operatives were there, fishing was at its height, now all dead. Go talk to Athie Martin, Eloi Sylvester and his brother Mark, the government filed officers then who worked with these people and Now Drigo has the gull to say there is growth in agriculture . Ohhhh my God, how can someone stop sooo low just to serve Skerrit and corrupt, inept Labour Government.
    It is a damn shame now, you walk or drive into Castle Bruce today , it is dead. The feasts, the river gathering of visitors, the abundance in food, the agriculture, the intellectuals, all gone.

  15. Kabwit
    December 22, 2016

    Mr. Drigo

    Please please …. By the way where are the irish potato seeds, are we not planting potatoes this year and what about the rotting dasheen in farmers fields? The farmers are waiting???? Stupes Stupes

  16. JBaptiste
    December 22, 2016

    I often come here with great optimism hoping to read something that actually seem true and can be validated with numbers, but I’m always ever disappointed. He keeps saying several areas yet repeats the same ones.

  17. December 22, 2016

    He must say something, but the reality is a different story

  18. freegid tree
    December 22, 2016

    God has indeed Blessed our soil; but this labor gov-we-ment is a curse to the Island. They have no da@#n respect for the citizens. They may soon fall like ripen fruits.

  19. Reasoning
    December 22, 2016

    drigo=riding a dead donkey!!!

    • Shameless
      December 23, 2016

      Heeeeee haaaaw :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

      Always Assertive! :twisted:

  20. The S7 - i will blow up in your face
    December 22, 2016

    why he talking like is the ministry that doing work. this is private sector business happening and you only got the info from fisheries division and customs most likely. what about the linkage between agriculture and agro processing. Why cant pepper sauce makers find enough hot peppers? or coconut oil producers get enough coconuts to make oil? the ministry cannot operate in a silo and think it is doing great just because fish was exported. all sectors need to have synergy. Apart from trying to look neater in your appearance as a government minister mr drigo you should look into meeting with the hoteliers, manufacturers and agro processors to see where your ministry is lacking.

  21. jonathan st jean
    December 22, 2016

    Can the agriculture minister honestly look Dominicans in the eye and say how much of a good year 2016 has been.The bar is set so low that nothing significant seems like tremendous success.Where are the numbers to justify your exuberance.I challenge you to open your mouth and quote some statistics.The morass continues,where are the boats promised by your prime minister,is the coffee plant operating?Are there other agro processors in operation,where is the feed plant to provide feed at low cost to the farming community,How many tons of banana were exported,The questions are so many and I know you don’t have the answers because your government is clueless. Dominica has been reduced to a passport production factory.

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