Dominican agriculture sector grew by 5.2%

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Samuel Carrette has said that while many have centered their focus on the “decline” in the agriculture industry, statistics show that the sector has grown in the past year, unlike many other industries.

Speaking at the eighth Annual General Meeting of the Dominica Agricultural Production and Exporters Limited (DAPEL) in Marigot, Carrette said that according to the National Accounts Statistics, the agricultural sector grew by 5.2 percent, which is proof that it is still a viable industry.

“A lot of people telling us that we should not invest in agriculture; others are saying we should invest in agriculture. But since the crisis of 2007/8 the world is more and more convinced that we have to invest in agriculture. I have heard many persons talk about the decline in agriculture,” he said.

“But based on the statistics, the National Accounts Statistics for 2009, we noticed that one of the few sectors that grew in 2009 is the agricultural sector. The agricultural sector grew by 5.2 percent in spite of the decline in the banana sub-sector,” Carrette stated.

Carrette attributed this growth to a structural change in the industry.

“Therefore what we have achieved in the interim, in 2009 is what we can consider to be a structural change in the industry where the non banana sub-sector compensated for the decline   in the banana sub-sector,” he said.

He advised farmers not to be discouraged by those who attempt to divert them from the sector.

“So therefore, anybody who seeks to… make you feel a bit hopeless or make you feel somehow that there is no hope or that there is no profitability, [and] there is no way of earning a decent income in  agriculture is actually wrong. I think you should not pay attention…” he stated.

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16 Comments

  1. hmmmm
    September 10, 2010

    well we have certainly seen more imports of agricultural produce so that might be a contributing factor to that growth…

  2. The Freak
    September 2, 2010

    @Irie yes bro Stats tell lies you get the drift for sure.Carrette is a carrothead.:

  3. Irie
    September 2, 2010

    I have a fig tree in my backyard, a few months back it try a thing and make a whole wayjin fig…right now I see de mayok getting smaller so dat means my fig is almost ready to harvest (I look foward to a fig on saltfish). I also notice de same fig tree grow 3 likkle suckers at de bottom, so if my maths and statistics is correct agriculture in my backyard grew by 300%……

  4. T. Winston
    September 2, 2010

    After anything hits rock bottom the only place to go is up
    Agriculture in Dominica has been on a steady decline for years so for it to come up now is a good thing however people should not be mislead by this increase as 5.2 percent increase now still leaves us lagging behind as we are better than last year but not the previous 6

  5. only
    September 2, 2010

    Govt. can manipulate statistics any way they want. It grew 5.2% in the last year in what way? How?
    Where’s the money? Who profited?
    Agriculture should be number 1 in DA, not tourism. DA is not what most tourists are looking for. Most touists are looking for sandy beaches and tourquise waters. Eco-tourism attracts a different type of tourist made up of a lot less tourists.

    DA is a beautiful country in its own right, however, it is being polluted and chemicalized which is not consistent with its name of the Nature Island. It needs to clean up its act (asphalt plant) and go organic. Then it can truly take the title of the Nature Isle.

    A lot of tall buildings does not a first world country make. People need to quit buying into wall street and madison Ave. and what they are selling because it has only superficial value. What you need is good, chemical free, non-carcinogenic food to survive in the first place.

  6. The Third Side
    September 2, 2010

    @Agricultur is the way: . What is needed, but is lacking is the proper planning, proper management, the will, the necessary $$$$ to develop our agricultural sector, and respect, love and remuneration for those who love to work hard for the good of the country. Do you know how many products we could manufacture from agricultural crops and add value to those crops? I could name thousands. Chocolate bars from cocoa; flour, vinegar, chips from bananas etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

    Do you know how long I have been hearing this crap…produce we can create from our crops…just look at these island, much bigger, much, much flatter and have more financial resources than mountainous,rocky, volcanic Dominica and they dont produce none of the chocolate bars, vinegar, chips ..Jamaica, Guyana, etc…Agriculture is not going to pull us out of economic stagnation…if it could we would be the richest country in the Caribbean.

    Please think outside the box and stop attacking people when they propose strong alternative.

    We need shock and awe economics to move DA….think Singapore.

  7. PAIN
    September 2, 2010

    Agriculture is one of our main support of livelyhood in Dominica, but it is at a Lackagren [barely alive]
    How did mr. Carrette statistic come about with such figures?
    He said the Banana Industry is at a decline now, so therefore which sector that bouse it up to 5.2%? He needs to have a ” Meet the Farmers Tour” to hear the ply of the Farmers and to verify his saying!

  8. zenglen
    September 1, 2010

    life is funny isnt it? Imagine a percent as little as 5. 2 % is being broadcasted as if they have discovered a gold mine. Instead of being on the defensive and always coming out to give speeeches and pronouncements, get to work and let action speak lower than words. Please take a page from Brisbanes’ motto: action speaks louder than words. To much talk to much to little action on behalf of the people of the land. If talking and so forth could fill wallets, pay light bills, send kids to school and so forth Dominica would be extremely development. Get some industries going and let the peopel see action. So many friuts and so forth wasting – invite investors to come and do business hence creating employment.
    Its all well and good for those who are sure of their next breadfast and expensive lunches to say things are growing and getting better but who feeels it knows.
    Please dont bait the farmers to go and take loans because when all is said and done , when those who speeak of increase will not be facing court for non payment of loans. The people want some good project to make real money , plenty money…. They want growth of 4o – 50 percnt with no apologies. The next time the ps comes out with another report one can foreseee a high increase. Thanks in advance sir!

  9. small farmer
    September 1, 2010

    The Secretary for life ‘Permanent’ with salary assured whether Dominica sells very little bananas, dasheen or nothing, or buys carrots and cabbage from Miami could not encourage Govt. to increase the $$$$$$ for agriculture in the budget. Explain that to Dominicans. If the agriculture sector grew by 5.2% wouldn’t it make sense to put plenty more money into that sector to ensure more growth in the future and to make those hard working farmers who caused it to grow feel happy? We are told that many Dominican farmers are living farming and abandoning their farms. So is it the Haitians that taking the agriculture over? What do the statistics show?

  10. K.S.Miller
    September 1, 2010

    I am not convinced of that 5.2% growth in the agricultural sector, especially after that drought earlier this year. Maybe on paper there is a growth, but on the ground I find it very difficult to believe.

    While I am aware of the limitations of the technical staff, I think that more could be done from their end in advising the policy makers. Agriculture guarantees food security and independence as opposed to the service industry which is heavily dependent on outside forces. Even if we were to model ourselves after Singapore (which has a service based economy), how would we feed ourselves? Would we want to be like the Bahamians who live too serve the tourists?

    Carnival Victory is pulling out, what will our people do during the off-season? Whey all know the answer.

  11. NEED
    September 1, 2010

    Agriculture is an indispensable sector of our economy…Those responsible have to listen more to the farmers…These are the real people who matter..Too often the farmers are crying/bawling of the meglet that that they get from those who in charge of the agricultural sector…

  12. The Freak
    September 1, 2010

    Mr.Carrette’s interpretation and findings had me wondering so I decided to run it by a friend of mine who happens to be an Agro -economist. his response was even wilder than Mr.Carrette’s.
    He asked me the folowing question: If a banana boat which plies between P/mouth DA & Portsmouth England takes 4 days,how many days will 8 boats take? before I could answer he asked how many will 16 take,then 32, then 64? he said again before I could answer not 12 hrs ,nor 6, nor 3 nor 1.5 hrs as carrette maybe inclined to think. Then he summed up. Statistics tell lies.
    He went on to smile and then asked me if I knew where carrette lived before returning to DA i said maybe England or USA he said if it’s the first,he’s mad if it was the USA he must have been living in California and was there recently most likely and supports proposition 8 and he is on Medical marijuana. My friend is nut ? what do you think? he told me DA should be flattened and made into a parking lot for Martinique and Guadeloupe cause our country is slipping away quickly into a fourth world nation.
    Ron Abraham suggested building a 8 storey building over the Roseau river and D/cans should contribute ,those at home and the diaspora. My friend thiks that’s another Carrette thought process.When i think my friend was done having asked him a simple question he attacked someone who responded to Ron’s idea.Ron said he calculated it to cost about $30 million US a cross over DFP-ite to a Skerrit-ite neo DLP rad it as $30,000.00 my friend said.Then my friend went on once more saying the guy later apologized to Ron Abraham after acusing him of living in a dream world stating he did not read Ron’s post with his glasses. My friend said noway that guy either has a split mind or isalso on Medical marijuana too, but he thinks it’s the first of the two diagnosis which Schizophrenia. My question here is: Should my friend apologize?The person may request one.

  13. Agricultur is the way
    September 1, 2010

    @The Third Side: To improve the standard of living we have to eat. What madness are you talking about? Improvement in nutrition is key. Voodoo economics involves buying our foods like carrots, cabbage from Miami thereby enriching the farming community in the US, while farmers and the rural community in Dominica catch hell. Will the standard of living improve when we send the little money we have outside to buy what we could grow here? Why do you think Dominica has the high percentage of 100 plus year olds? Surely Not by they eating junk foods filled with pesticides and growth hormones. What is needed, but is lacking is the proper planning, proper management, the will, the necessary $$$$ to develop our agricultural sector, and respect, love and remuneration for those who love to work hard for the good of the country. You cannot see further than the tip of your nose, Frankly, not because Govt. has failed to beef up, mobilise and put sound sustainable programmes in place to encourage the people to partake in productive agricultural programmes that you must spew those insane statements. Such nonsensical,backward thinking are indicative of lazy people who want to live by stretching out their hands in a begging mode. Do you know how many products we could manufacture from agricultural crops and add value to those crops? I could name thousands. Chocolate bars from cocoa; flour, vinegar, chips from bananas etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

  14. The Third Side
    September 1, 2010

    Why are we still discussing agriculture. Agriculture has not, will not and will never revolutionize Dominica to become second world. To stay stuck in agriculture will further cement our status as a Banana Republic.

    We need bold, fresh and grandiose ideas to improve the standard of living and no matter how many holes we dig and put plants in them is going to change that.

    The Third Side….look at Singapore

  15. extension
    September 1, 2010

    SAY IT AGAIN AND AGAIN BECAUSE WE WORK TO HELP FEED OR COUNTRY. I HOPE RANDY STOP TALK AND START LOOKING AT THE GOOD SIDE OF AGRICULTURE WITH OUR LIMITED RESOURSES SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION AND THE EVER PRESENT POLITICAL AND FARMERS INTERFERANCE .

  16. Good stuff
    September 1, 2010

    Well, sir can we need to provide the Agriculture Sector with a better piece of the pie to gain even more growth as it relates to budget allocation?

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