Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced that his government plans to hold a consultation on Wednesday, March 16th which will target stakeholders in the agricultural sector in Dominica.
He made the announcement during State-Owned Radio, DBS Talking Point Program on Monday where he was accompanied by Minister for Agriculture, National Food Security, the Blue and Green Economy, Fidel Grant.
The consultation aims to identify measures to reduce obstacles along the value chain and facilitate access to markets for locally produced goods and according to the Prime Minister, it will involve farmers, fisherfolk, agro-processors, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, hucksters, poultry farmers, pork farmers, livestock farmers, financial institutions, among others.
“The idea is to have a conversation. It’s not going to be an argument; it’s going to be a conversation among stakeholders to discuss the current state of production and the current state of supply,” he said. “And what are the challenges some of us do have in selling and what are the challenges those of us have in purchasing and what can we do to address these production and supply issues?”
Skerrit said the consultation will also seek to arrive at an understanding as to what can be done to reduce or eliminate Dominica imports.
He believes that agricultural produce including cabbage, watermelon, cauliflower and others should not be imported and indicated that crops such as cauliflower, cantaloupe, broccoli and bell peppers are being targetted because many farmers don’t plant them in any significant quantity.
The Prime Minister said the plan is not to compete with any existing farmers.
“We are going to be complimenting them,” Skerrit stated. “And the whole idea is to present this proposal to them, form a company, and be shareholders in the company.”
Skerrit said his government will provide the land, greenhouses, help with the planting material to start off and labour for six months.
“All you have to do is use your knowledge in agriculture, your knowledge in accounting, your knowledge in business to manage this company and to manage the farm, and your knowledge in marketing to manage these crops,” Skerrit urged.
He continued, “Because if we can ban the importation of broccoli and cauliflower and bell peppers, you can see 2, 3, 4 million-dollars in the short-term staying in Dominica.”
He explained further that if there are shareholders running a company and the turnover is $2 million as a small business that will be considered as a significant business.
“You will have an opportunity to grow, so let us run a model farm so the rest can learn from this and run our business this way,” Skerrit stated. “The more we grow and the more we consume what we grow there will be less need to import.”
He encourages the public to consume goods that are being produced in Dominica to help reduce the import bill.
Meantime, according to the Prime Minister, a special unit is to be set up in the Ministry of Trade to join forces with Dominica Export Import Agency (DEXIA), The Hucksters Association and Invest Dominica to set up a marketing arm that can go from island-to-island to speak to governments, purchasers of agricultural produce and to promote the sale of Dominica’s fresh and processed produce.
“You are going to see a very heightened approach to going very aggressively into the regional markets by a government-paid team of people who can go in and promote agriculture the same way we promote tourism across the world for Dominica,” Skerrit said.
The consultation is expected to take place at the Goodwill Parish Hall at 5pm.
Another consultation which is expected to target young professionals in agriculture will be held in the coming weeks.
Mr. Skerrit knows Dominicans like he knows the palms of his hands. Whenever he is being excoriated by the people for his wrongdoings and misguided policies, he comes up with some sort of grand scheme to deflect the attention.
Dominicans are so daft that they fall for it every time. This blind man has just formed diplomatic ties with Syria, a world’s pariah nation, the scum of the earth.Not a word from this headline grabbing, loquacious idiot. This shows he thinks very little of Dominicans. It’s time for him to exit political office. His time has expired.
Dominicans can you all remember there was a program on Q95 call the famers cry with Mr Louis Randy Mr Delony and Mr Telemaque this gentlemen for years been warning Dominicans Randy Mr Delony has gone to the grate be on may their souls rest in peace skerrit the minister of agriculture laugh at them ,after twenty two years skerrit talking about agriculture man u full of malaky get hell out of there.
Why you have withheld my post? Is it because I wrote an alias of your good friend Skerrit? Clearly shows your bias. People on this forum say all sort of unflattering things about me and you allow it. Take note though that it’s okay to allow against me. I just wanted to show your bias and where both your interest and loyalty are.
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Revised headline should read: ‘Government wants to waste everyone’s time (again) talking the talk about agriculture but not actually doing anything.’ Let me tell you, when the EU and the US kill CBI, Dominica and the PM are going to be up the creek without a paddle. It’s time to stop all the hot air and actually build a viable agriculture sector before we have nothing but foreign-owned hotels to depend on.
So,on Monday the PM decides to have what should be a very important consultation for agriculture stakeholders on Wednesday,
This would appear to be the political mad house of Dominica.
A well thought out policy should be the purpose of this consultation.
However how can any such policy come from the back of an envelope PM.
FOR a thriving agricultural industry exports are the only true outcome.
The domestic market is to small for a sustainable agricultural industry.
The markets are there but the present government are incapable to offer a realistic programme.
Another UWP propaganda,uninformed and lying,lazy supporters.The Haitians send,back to Haiti,millions of $$$ the proceeds of agricultural produce grown on Dominican lands.Some Dominicans are getting rich selling selling coconut water,ripe bananas and more.Several farmers sell their produce from vans purchase from the sale of agricultural produce.Under the reign of DLP fruits and vegetables are available all year round.Foreigners are making millions of $$$ from Dominican soil while SOME Dominicans smoke weed drink rum,and complain all day.
Is this a new initiative? This sounds like something that should have been done years ago. With the impending loss of CBI money agriculture sure looks enticing.
What needs to be done is that the government makes a list of fruits and vegetables that we import and the value of these imports.
Then local businesses like SMART or Astaphans make a forum or link for local farmers to trade their products. Maybe Dexia makes a depot where farmers deliver and vendors come to buy.
One problem in Dominica is that farmers (black people in general) don’t now how to price their produce. Cost of production is $1, but they demand to sell at $3 becuase they hear people buying at that price.
Second bigger problem is vendors like to take foot on farmers, they buying from the farmer at $1 (after the man plant, weed, fertilize, harvest and transport the product to them), yet they want to sell at $3. This is rife at the market!
Another, these local supermarkets and hotels rather import stuff, even when it’s in season. This makes farmers feel foolish. They import pineapple or mutton even when farmers are begging them to buy their products.
Looks like the threat from the E.U. to limit the use of the CIP passports is forcing the Skerritt administration to take a more solid and sound approach to developing the economy rather than the singular focus on hotel development. It’s cost the country twenty plus years of sound broad based diversified development and progress because of a myopic next level singular focus hotel development. After 20 years we only have Klempinski mainly to brag about and who knows how profitable it really is? When the situation is right the teacher will arrive.
After the man Mashup the country Mashup agriculture..he now seeing CBI going.. he running back to agriculture.. your dam fool all the time Lennox was talking allu was cursing him..now all you will see and ketch hell when that cbi close down.. wicked set of fellas..building house for young people for free.. people that can go and work and take a loan in the bank ..all u will feel it doe worry
You all never listened to the ones that have Agriculture at heart ❤ in the Division of Agriculture and to compound things Mr A kill the Horticultural Program that assisted farmers for years just to control inputs to win an Election. World Bank Project has failed….Where is the production World Bank after two years????
Stupes tan. Why not a consultation with young people that want to sell passports since that is the only thing that have money. All you decalay agriculture and now all you want to consult? Passport is for all alone? Next thing when one has cantaloupe everybody has the same thing with no market. Boy according to PM Skerrit and I quote “ Go to hell, go to hell, go to hell
Skerrit is not an agriculturist!
Who knows more about agriculture, Fidel or Skerrit?
I see de discussion includes alot of stakeholders.
But parliament doesn’t see de need to discuss de issues Skerrit.
When there is no movement in de industry Skerrit remains moo moo.
It appears like de division of agriculture can’t do it’s work……is Skerrit de new director of agriculture?
Look comessssss?
man u suck the dominican u fool i hope they get up from their sleep maan there so so much to say.
Skerrit u tell so much lies it ashame man suck.
Skerrit now after u turn Dominica into jurassic park ,everything is about you ,IS their a minister of agriculture in dominica after twenty years of crying now you see it fit to turn to the famers you tear gas the famers of salisbury for asking for there farm roads you still have them in court if is not CBI is what ,God is not a police he hear and see everything according to the song Kamar is Bxxxx. Right now every minister gonna turn famer we will hear more about that.
What time is it?
ADMIN: The consultation is at 5pm. The article has been updated.