The Ministry of Agriculture last week received the first batch of 25,000 banana plants from Rohan Meristem Incorporated in Israel.
These plants are a grant from the Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots (ACTP), which is currently working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on a National Parrot Protection Programme and several Livelihood projects.
Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar, in thanking the ACTP, noted that the Government remains committed to working with all stakeholders in the banana industry to ensure that opportunities are continually created for Vincentian farmers to increase their productivity.
A total of 100,000 plants will be donated by the ACTP before year end. The assistance is valued at EC$250,000. This will allow for the replanting of 140 acres of bananas through “Operation Plant Back”
Shouldn’t we be told why we need to import banana plants from Israel? Are they a different variety? Are they black Sigatoka resistant? Are the short stemmed to allow for ease of harvesting and easier hand spraying?
We really need to know why we require to import when Orange Hill is capable of turning out millions of plants if required.
Or is it much simpler than that, are we just importing these plants because they are free?
Who will get this batch of plants, which farmer?
Dear Kenton, are you able to get a proper explanatory release from the Ministry of Ag? its a really important matter.