The Hon Minister for Agriculture, Johnson Drigo, is resolute that contrary to opinions propagated by some, the agriculture industry in Dominica is not dead but alive and thriving.
Hon Drigo refuted statements about the agriculture industry made by Opposition member, Senator Felix Thomas at a recent sitting of Parliament.
The Agriculture Minister supported this view by sharing some of the most recent success stories in the industry, starting with the double increase of acreage in white potatoes – from 36 to 63 acres.
“There is growth in agriculture and our farmers are working hard; our farmers and expanding their production,” he said. “So when we hear people every day crying out loud that agriculture is dead, agriculture is on the decline, they are not living in the same world as we are living. Because, we all know that we took a pounding from Black Sigatoka and prolonged drought in 2014. Since then we have consistently supported our farmers by providing them with fertilizers, fresh planting materials, by giving them all the support that they needed. We know across the board- north, south, east and west- in all key areas of the sector, farmers are expanding.”
He added that in the north-east, farmers are looking to expand production of white potatoes as it has now become a seasonal crop particularly in Calibishie.
He says farmers are enthusiastic about the results of the last planting season and are already placing orders for seeds for the next planting season.
A total of 946 bags of seeds were purchased by farmers last season which yielded well over one million pounds – an estimated value of $1.5m.
The Agriculture Minister also divulged that citrus seedlings have been sold out due to increasing demand and his Ministry is looking to increase the number of tree crop seedlings available to farmers ahead of the next planting season.
“The strategic agenda of the Ministry includes expansion of a number of tree crops. This includes nutmeg, cloves, soursop [sapodilla], avocado, coconuts to name a few.”
Growth has also been projected for the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme. The Minister said there are several small businesses producing cocoa for export.
He says plans for increased acreage of the crop are working.
“The rehabilitation of 400 acres of cocoa islandwide is underway. The Ministry has purchased all of the pruning material needed… The cocoa industry is on the rise. Also, technical assistance to develop capacity in mist propagation for use of cuttings for propagation. So very soon we will be producing plants for the farmers through cuttings,” Hon Drigo informed.
Additionally, construction of a cocoa sweating house in Marigot is nearing completion.
Hon Drigo also spoke of increased activity in livestock production, coffee and fish exports.
“We are not daunted by the naysayers that agriculture is dead. We know this is absolutely not true. I suggest to Senator Thomas to take a trip to Portsmouth on a Tuesday when the boats are moving out and to see the tons of agricultural products that are moving and heading north to Antigua and St. Kitts… all of this coming from the hard work of the farmers. Agriculture is alive.”
what planet is this guy from? marijuana is the only growth crop on island…
Minister Drigo agriculture in Dominica under your government is asleep and walking in it’s sleep.If agriculture is doing as well as you said,it’s effects will be seen and felt across the economy.This is certainly not happening now.Don’t you recall the country when banana was King and the rest of agriculture was doing well.Wake up Drigo,you are sleep walking.
mr must be crazy
Oh, and maybe everyone should remember that it was trade agreements between Europe and the USA which Bill Clinton used to destroy our banana subsidies. It was the USA government who denounced the subsidies to the WTO after President Bill Clinton took big money from Chiquita Brands and their slave labor factory farms. And that Dominicans in the USA are still voting for the Clintons and their corporate sweat shop, factory farm trade agreements.
Alas drigo if banana is not dead then mt drigo
Is dead most farmers left banana and doing
Security thank God for platinum
Sometimes you observe a good man bearing the weight of an unfortunate situation and you feel nothing, but empathy for that individual. These nickel and dime acreage that Drigo spoke about sounds more like subsistence farming to me, versus a real vibrant sector that is capable of employing thousands of our young people. It’s quite obvious that Drigo is apparently unwell at the moment. Anyone from the Castle Bruce area with a heart, should reach out to him and offer him some help. There’s no pride in accepting help. We all need it sometime.
Drigo, you are a good man, but from the day you aligned yourself with this Skerrit lead corrupt government you seem to have lost your conscious for social justice and the truth. Please excuse yourself from the corrupt regime or else your name will be stained for life. Show me your company and we will tell you who you are.
“We are not daunted by the naysayers that agriculture is dead. We know this is absolutely not true”.
YOu know, I know agriculture as an industry in Dominica is NOT vibrant like it used to be. Castle Bruce your village home is dead, a once thriving community with three (3) co-operatives, many independent farmers, a powerful fishing industry, now dead, no one fish like before. CASTLE Bruce IS A GHOST TOWN because there is no money, no production just people looking where their bread coming for the next day. The feast day is dead, a once powerful feast day celebrated with people coming from all over.
The Labour Party that you are part of failed Castle Bruce &…
Agree 100% and I am from C/B
The once Castle Bruce is no more
Why don’t you guys focus on developing young and new prospective farmers by making the funds which you provided to AID bank more accessible to the average individual. The monies are their but you need certificate of title for security or the equivalent requested. Only the already wealthy can access thsee monies. So please stop saying farming on the rise and do something to get to improve farming.
sort!!!!!
30 acres 60 acres, are you kidding me? That is really short-sighted, and the guy sounds satisfied, what mediocre expectations.
If you continue to tell a lie over and over, you gonna believe its the truth
The gov’t doesn’t expect agriculture nor finances to thrive. That’s why they put a doctor in charge of health but no doctor in charge of agriculture nor an economist in charge of finance. Just see the state of sports, who’s in charge, and qualifications there, are you surprised our athletes are not at the olympics? Well…..figure it out.
But although Skerritt put a doctor in charge of health,the entire sector is in a coma.A new facility being considered does not mean all is well.Open your eyes and see that health care is not well in Dominica
His explanation is so basic. Dca deserves a more sophisticated approach to agriculture to get it thriving. Not good enough. it is dead, otherwise it would cost us a lot less for agricultural produce. More should be one. Agriculture should be king, should reign supreme.
Alas, kakarat Dominica
sorry, but I’m gonna just stay inna foreign just a little while longer.
Meanwhile, In other news…
Garson STOP fooling yourselves and and take a walk. You all just saying what Skersker wants to hear and making a darn fool of yourself and the farmers. Alas, on FENIBAT unbar laybar.
Always Assertive!
Am I dreaming,or is the Hon. Drigo hallucinating? Garcon, what did you smoke?
Please tell me that I am dreaming.
Yes, it thriving alright. You saw a great harvest in your dreams. Wake up nuh! and see if it\’s real.
Talk is cheap!
You mentioned nothing about revival of bananas.
No talk about coffee for the coffee plant!
How long has the minister of finance been promising 2 boats to transport local produce to islands in the region?
I’m certain that you don’t even believe yourself!
Just throwing out nice words!
Aren’t you embarrassed?
Two boats? I wonder how this going to effect hucksters in the villages who make a good living exporting food in their boats to the French colonies? Also, I wonder why no one be praising the fact that the Agricultural Stations have been and still is supplying fruit trees, vegetable trays and professional help to farmers in rural areas? Or, looking at the problem that young people mostly reject laboring on the farm. Or complaining about local food prices when everyone know that farming is more a work of love than profit.
Some suggestions: More micro-irrigation systems, no duty on agriculture implements, higher prices for local grown produce, more respect for both farmers, marketers and professionals.
All you lucky all the MAD people are Labourites; one of them would have already dealt one of you ministers some blows.
Mr. Drigo 63 acres of potato from 36 is a mere transposition of the numbers and not an actual measurement of the volume of that produced.
I am really not sure what is happening in my cool little country that once was termed the Nature Isle of the Caribbean.
However, if what’s there is thriving then my questions are why the agricultural lands are still being prepared by Haitians who toil so hard to dig a banana hole to put in a sucker. why hasn’t the agriculture industry progressed from human labor to mechanical labor. Why has the fields not moved from donkey and human ploughs to mechanical ploughs. Why has irrigation not moved from carrying buckets of water to sprinklers why have green houses not set up to assist with the less weather resistant crops.
The economy is far from thriving Mr. Drigo when we have to take into all those glaring circumstances as compared to a developed or developing economy. Agriculture is at the mercy seat whilst you boast about 2 pounds of potato…
What you describe sounds like progress – Dominica will talk forever while the rest of the islands actually achieve it.
Drigo’s Drivel, he has caugth the P.M.’s affliction that seems to be contagious. Better you don’t say any Minister of agriculture because you only make yourself sound more ridiculous every time you speak.
I think they must really start allowing only persons with degrees as ministers. This man and most of the others really need to do like honourable Vince and go to study. In so doing there will be no need for advisors to ministers,or appointing other persons to office.This minister in particular needs to articulate himself properly. I really feel sorry and can’t stomach even listening to him. However,some minister have improved for example Mrs Charles and Blackmore,they have come a long way in articulation and expression.
..and educating themselves on the topics they speak about.
But the minister of health has a degree and the health sector is in a coma.The problem is not having a degree or not it’s that the government is on the wrong track.The leader can’t lead and the ship is sinking
i live in or what use to be an agriculture area and you are right Mr. Drigo there are farmers who are willing to work. They do not ask for much just the basic assistance the a government is suppose to provide for its people. like being able to sell the produce which they work tirelessly to produce. The Dominica that i live in today i see farmers cutting down ripe bananas because they cannot find market for it. plantains are suffering the same fate. simple crops like cucumbers and yams can not be sold and this is the reality that i see. now lets not forget how its expensive to grow these crops. Mr. Drigo stop talking and do some work to assist the people who who still have the gots to continue toiling.
Jo-‘ Oh NO’ Drigo please go hide yourself in Jalousie , Castle Bruce. Stop making a mockery of yourself – Jono.
Well a drug addict will never get help if he thinks he does not have a problem. If the minister is considering the current state of agri as striving then he is sayig thst there is nothing else he has to do. Why change if it is striving? Yes mister drigo, you are leaving in two different worlds in Dominica.
Alive and Thriving, Where?
…..In his mother’s yard
Drigo watchu talk’n ’bout?
These ministers are really believing their lies…
Lord help us in this island!
I see no mention of coffee
really?
Drigo i live in Portsmouth and you dont know what you are talking about. In the days when agriculture was our priority and not an outcast there were vessels leaving Portsmouth everyday. When the geest boat was loading at the Long House facility vessels would resort to loading at the Portsmouth Jetty at the square. Independence , Scobby, Bammy would load in the Lagoon . Not only aere there Dominica vessels there were vessels from the other islands picking up agriculture products. Let Ian tell you about the vessel Marina that was owned by his dad. Mr Drigo you bragging about a sector that is performing at less than 20% of its capacity?
In any other administration anywhere else in the world, you would be BOOTED OUT,for speaking unadulterated nonsense….Be bold and admit that agriculture id dead in Dominica,and your lazy,incompetent is clueless about how to revive it!How much or what percent did agriculture contribute to our GDP? How many tonnes of banana and non banana crops were exported?How much of the other crops were exported?Man you all people have an uncanny knack of provoking people,knowing fully well that provocation is against the law….IS AGRICULTURE TO POTATOES?I WILL END BY SAYING THAT THIS COUNTRY is nothing more than a failed state!!!
IS AGRICULTURE ONLY POTATOES?
Drigo man,accept the dysfunctional labour party failures,you cant be for real dud,but i cant blame you this is what the supreme leader has asked you to say.
not ask, TOLD!
You are right about that Mr. Digo. Only you and your inept government will make such foolish statements and expect intelligent people to swallow it.
Thank God all Dominicans are not labourites.