The first 20,000 of 60,000 Cavendish banana plantlets received from France in April are now entering the hardening phase.
GIS News was there on Monday May 18th when technical experts of the Ministry of Agriculture moved the plants into potting bags after six weeks of weaning.
This took place at the China/Dominica Modern Agricultural Station in One Mile, Portsmouth.
A Chinese agricultural mission operates from that facility which houses seven green houses and an open demonstration field.
Ryan Anselm is head of the Plant Protection and Quarantine Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture. He explained what has taken place so far since the plantlets arrived on island.
“The process was basically puddling the seedling trees on a daily basis, giving them the required fungi and the misting. The process is very successful and we are now in the stage of hardening the plants which will take six weeks,” he said.
The Cavendish variety of bananas is not Black Sigatoka resistant and Anselm says they must be protected from pests and disease.
These bananas are for sale on the UK market where it is preferred.
For the next six weeks, the plants will be hardened before final replanting on larger holdings.
He continued, “These plants will be put in five greenhouses and will go through the hardening stage where we will give them the necessary nutrients, foliage nutrients and pesticides to prevent any infection.”
Hon. Agriculture Minister, Johnson Drigo explained that selected farmers of Castle Bruce and Calibishie will be responsible for the hardened plants.
“We selected Calibishie and Castle Bruce because this project is being sponsored by the European Union through the Banana Accompanying Measures Programme and in these two areas, we have the irrigation project sponsored by the E.U.
“We are rapidly into selecting the farmers, as a matter of fact by the end of the week the 20 farmers –10 from each of the areas- will be decided upon. The farmers will be informed and we will be working with these farmers to prepare their holdings to receive these plantlets.”
The Banana Accompanying Measures or BAM Programme of the European Union is funding the purchase and shipment of the plants.
According to Hon. Drigo, BAM is also supplying inputs to the 20 farmers who will grow the plants.
He revealed that to avoid delays, Government is already prepared to provide the necessary inputs so the famers can begin immediately after the hardening process.
This venture is part of Government’s integrated plan to revitalise the banana sector.
The initiative’s success so far is largely credited the European Union and the Chinese Government.
“Thanks to our blessed Supreme Leader’s international contacts and intelligent foreign policy agenda, Dominica will soon be recognized as an economic powerhouse.”
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahah!
Anytime we find people start talking about “Supreme Leader” we are talking dictatorship. So, that idiot has simply confirmed Skerrit to be a modern day dictator, let me tell the fool what dictators does: they kill people!
Here is a situation: the supreme leader of North Korea, publicly executed (murdered) a general, the head of security in North Korea; for no other reason than the General falling asleep while t the little rat dictator was addressing his puppets in a meeting.
People falls asleep in God does not kill them, but the human god kills claiming the general disrespected him. And by the way Skerrit has no foreign policy, all he has is mountain Chicken intelligent.
They are trying. All this to please D/cans and boost the economy. Be appreciative.
They are like babies. They have to be delicately and properly cared for.
I wish all those concerned including the chosen farmers good luck.
Let us be positive and in anticipation wait for the matured growth.
.
Mr. Minister get some sound technical advice because based on what you said “We selected Calibishie and Castle Bruce because this project is being sponsored by the European Union through the Banana Accompanying Measures Programme and in these two areas, we have the irrigation project sponsored by the E.U.” does not give you strong technical backing. On that note banana cultivation in the era of BS infestation has to be zone based on rainfall patterns. The best chance of banana recovery would be to invest in areas with low rainfall where the fungus would have difficult time surviving. Mrs. Abraham made the point. The fungus needs humid conditions to survive and as a result the rationale for choosing these 2 areas, even in these irrigated areas is not a sound technical justification. These areas are relatively high rainfall zones and as such the fungus stands an excellent chance of surviving.
Francisco Telemaque, I give you your flowers before you die. You are the world’s number one consultant on every subject matter. Indeed you have proclaimed your consistency and continuity in stupidity to the world at large and for this you must be honoured. Bravo! Another strike for Francisco. May he forever ever waddle in stupidity. Keep on writing comedy.
Well, since that is your philosophy; I need to return the same complements to you; since I discovered that you are one of those Dominicans who are wearing your badge of honor on your forehead.
It so bloody large that it has blinded you; you are consumed by your stupidity and jealousy. Anybody body who gives someone a bed of roses, or flowers prior to the demise of the person simply because they conceived in their mind the person knows everything is a damn fool!
You know why I know so consistent, and may I add accurate?
It is because I am academically educated, both college and University educated, and that the difference between a nobody like you and Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque.
Go and hang yourself fool: I am not looking for friends!
“The first 20,000 of 60,000 Cavendish banana plantlets received from France in April are now entering the hardening phase.”
Well, Drigo has done it; he has confirmed that he is nothing but an notorious compulsive liar! Months ago there were pictures on DNO of grown banana plants which he claimed was part of twenty thousand plants received. Another time he claimed the plants had just arrived. As a result in a post I commented the plants were fully grown in Dominica before they arrived!
Today we are seeing pictures of Banana plants as stated in the quote above. What will it take for these people to stop lying? First they were grown before they were planted on the island, then they were just received.
Today we are seeing them in the hardening phase! What can I say; liars and thieves has no shame!
Why is this Francisco telemaque so negative I cannot stand the man
He is always speaking death and defeat
Come Francisco it is time you begin to speak life into situations
Be positive
Man shut you damn mouth, I am negative, because I can analyze what is in front of me. People like you talk crap that you believe people like, and want to hear. That is problem, get some guts, and stop been a tar-baby with a soft face which every politician twist along with your mind in any direction they wish.
If you were not ignorant, you would realize that the Banana plant only grow under tropical conditions. Therefore if we are getting banana slips (plants) out of France which is not tropical: intelligence should tell you that the plants are grown in a green-house.
And if that is the case, these plants are probably genetically altered to resist the disease killing the plants in Dominica. Genetically altered food kills people by producing cancer. Shut up man, and think for yourself, utilize you commonsense, get an education, don’t worry about my negativity, I am not prepared to sing for a plate of food from Skerrit like you!
Get lost, damn dunce!
You can’t stand people; you cannot stand this Francisco, It is garbage like you who walk around calling yourself reverend, you dam ignorant hypocrite uneducated bastard, if you are a preacher, you are nothing more than a tool satan the devil; you wicked demon!
I hope you only preach to yourself, you low life good for nothing scamp! I do not sing parses to politicians, I praise God who mad me who I am: Thank God I do not have to kiss the behind of any politician to survive. I am independent, God made it possible for me to depend on only him, and myself.
You can only see negativity, because you are walking on your commonsense; if you have any; and lack the ability to understand, anything intellectual, or scientific. Your kind are beneath me, I am walking on you! You are my foot stool! Reverend of what; fart?
you all don’t know what a troll is hmm
i hope these plants are for farmers and not labourite farms only
Labor of Love , I think most Dominicans Love their country and want to see progress. After slavery something happened. Dependency on others to feed and cloth us. In every country around the world where Black people exists they should stop taking free stuff from any body. Let us go hungry and fall flat on our face, and wake up on our two feet
Only then wr will create a brand new modle to take care of our selves. We are like kids the European Union Union have to think and do evry thing gor us. We ho to university we come back begging for jobs. Governments should stay to hell out of our lives, we have brains we must learn to do it for our selves. Is like Religion , Religion has never taught us hoe to build a factory. Any government that look and beg for free stuff you will never get out of slavery. Props keep you as a servant for life. Thats the Black mans problems, you must find a way to get out think for self, let go of the dope, stop taking help from anyone
Great!! Next step is to distribute them to a life of Black Sigatoka infection. Just having fun in square one (seeing that they are NOT resistant to the fungus)???
“Next step is to distribute them to a life of Black Sigatoka infection.”
Let’s wait and see perhaps the plants are genetically altered; hence they might be able to resists Black Sigatoka. Unless they are capable of resting, the war is already lost. And if they are genetically altered, we do not know what sort of fruit they shall produce.
The fruit could be a danger to human, when eaten.
My brother, we have no clue how these plants came about. I really don’t know what is becoming of us as a people. Ever since slavery, we have never been the same. We have been transformed by living the world of the Europeans. Every thing that we do or say is patterned after them. It seems like we can’t think for ourselves because we have been placed in the white man’s world and can’t find the way out.
Dominica, which was an export of bananas have become the receiver of banana plants from France!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you imagine that?
I am one person who will not eat these bananas because the plants are not real.
In another breath, why should we import anything that can be grown here in these fertile soil that we are blessed with?
I also believe that Black Sigatoka is man-made. We need to study the European and know who he really is. Ever since he met with the African, his aim has been to plunder, murder, kill, castrate and lynch. That’s his nature and he will not…
Labour moving forward!!!! The critics and naysayers will have you believe that Dominica is stagnated and quickly falling behind. This could not be further from the truth. The fact is that the blessed and divine Labour Government is making great strides in moving the Country forward with initiatives such as this. Dominica is on course for a major development overhaul through the Economic Citizenship Programme in conjunction with My Dominica Trade House. The aim is to bring the kind of rapid modernization that propelled some of the fastest rising economies into Superpower contention. Thanks to our blessed Supreme Leader’s international contacts and intelligent foreign policy agenda, Dominica will soon be recognized as an economic powerhouse and an attraction to the wealthy around the world. Dominica made the right choice in choosing Labour to lead them to the Promised land and now that choice is seriously paying off. Labourites have all rights to be proud!!!
You are truly a fool and a puppet laid out top spread your nonsense – Dominica is not moving forward. Dominica has moved back tremendously with extreme poverty and decrease in literacy – dont let fabricated numbers fool you. DLP destroyed agriculture – PERIOD
LOL LOl LOL
Is this person for real.. Talk about blind loyalty, you sound like the Nazi’s in the 1940 with your supreme leader speech. just a few questions
1.how much money has the economic program brought in and where has it been spend.
2. name me one long term employment creating project that has its direct link to this program.
3. with all the talk about hotel after hotel. what is being done to not just increase visitership but also ease of access tot he island.
4. what has been done to attract more private investment in this country or are we going to keep depending on MOU and loan and grants to develop the country…
I will stop her for now cause i can go one forever. on and since u have such high esteem for u lol (Supreme leader) what steps has he taken to and i quote
“The aim is to bring the kind of rapid modernization that propelled some of the fastest rising economies into Superpower contention”
The way you guys are fooled its not even funny anymore
Bossman remove yourself from under the rock!
The money was spent building villas.
And those who are “wealthy” will continue to squeeze the blood out of the less fortunate. It will be slavery all over again because the poor will continue to suffer and they will have no say in the affairs of this land. We are already seeing what is happening to us in the name of development. With development comes a price. Who are the people with businesses here in Dominica? Is it the poor or those who consider themselves wealthy? Many of the latter came to Dominica with nothing but once they got a foothold, they have been in business ever since and many of the natives have been the servants. They usually pass on their wealth to their children and the power continues to dominate the poor.
Like the Salisbury farmer says, “we must do for ourselves and stop depending on other to do for us.”
Our ancestors did it so why can’t we? Have we become too lazy to work the soil like they did for those of us who own the land?
PEACE