Minister of Agriculture Israel Bruce has announced new export arrangements and financing pitches that he says will deliver better prices, new markets and critical infrastructure for farmers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
He made the announcement at a press conference in Kingstown on Thursday following missions to California and Barbados over the past two weeks.
Dasheen deal: from $40 to a ‘minimum’ of $100 per sack
Bruce’s headline announcement was a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in California between the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Happy Produce Global LLC and Quantum Inc, aimed at securing a more reliable export market for dasheen.
Displaying the document, he said the MOU sets the framework for the purchase of dasheen from SVG, “so that dasheen farmers in Saint Vincent could become a little more at ease that wider opportunities are being made available for them to sell their food”.
Bruce linked the move directly to campaign promises, noting that in the 2025 campaign, he consistently said that early in the New Democratic Party administration, he would vigorously pursue markets for Vincentian farmers, both at home and abroad.
He contrasted the new arrangement with the current price farmers receive.
“I am happy to say that the discussion that I had in the USA, I’ve made it abundantly clear that our farmers will not be subjected to selling their dasheen at anything less than 100 EC dollars per sack.”
Responding to a question about whether higher export prices could disadvantage local buyers, Bruce argued that the current price structure is unsustainable for producers.
“You can’t have a farmer spending so much money on planting material, on caring for the dasheen, on reaping the dasheen, and then transporting the dasheen, and then when it’s time to get money… you finding yourself in a situation where you’re getting $40 for that sack…” he said.
He said that Vincentians who sell agricultural produce across the region – known locally as “traffickers” — have to deal with the market realities in Barbados and Trinidad.
The agriculture minister, however, signalled plans to meet them “sometime next week” to “reconcile some of the challenges that they too are having”.
Bruce stressed that the MOU is not yet a purchase contract, adding that a local purchasing agent will later sign a commercial contract with Happy Produce Global, and that agent may, in turn, sign agreements with farmers to guarantee a consistent supply.
“Supermarkets… don’t want to have dasheen on the shelves for a period of time, and the next period their shelves are empty,” Bruce said.
“… where farmers agree that they are going to buy into this marketplace, they may very well be asked to sign contractual agreements… so that you are committed to sell your final product to Happy Produce Global LLC.”
Hot pepper MOU and protection of Vinci Fresh supply
Bruce also announced a second MOU for hot peppers, signed with Seasons Farm Fresh and Quantum Inc.
He acknowledged likely concerns about Vinci Fresh, which already uses local peppers for sauces and condiments.
Bruce said the programme’s design is intended to expand production, not divert existing supply.
He warned that farmers participating in the seed- and land preparation support arrangement would be expected to sell to Seasons Farm Fresh under contract.
“What you don’t want to have happening is that Farmer Joe is told, we want your peppers to buy, we will pay you, let’s say $2 per pound… but Mary comes and tells Farmer Joe, I could give you $2.15 per pound…
“So what will happen is that the farmers who are part of the programme will be required to sign individual contracts where they are committed to sell the peppers to Seasons Farms Fresh,” Bruce said.
He linked the pepper initiative to an FAO technical work in SVG about two months ago, during which a consultant spent 10 days in the country working with farmers on hot pepper production.
Direct link between Vincy farmers and global buyers
Bruce said Quantum Inc, already a party to the MOUs, is developing a digital platform to connect local producers directly with international buyers and automate payments.
He outlined a proposed escrow-based payment system, saying:
“Once there is an agreement, the buyer will have to deposit X amount as agreed… into an escrow account… once the Vincentian farmer has shipped the produce, then Quantum would ensure that the buyer pays the remainder of the money, and that money is therefore then paid to the farmer.”
The minister said the platform would also handle the distribution of proceeds among multiple farmers in bulk shipments.
Bruce indicated that Quantum has already made “quantum leaps” in adapting its system for Vincentian farmers, and hinted at future integration with a National Agricultural Management Information System (NAMIS) and a new farmer ID regime, but said details would come at “the appropriate time”.
Bruce singled out Kishorn Cupid, a Vincentian living in Los Angeles, for personally funding part of the California mission, calling him a goodwill ambassador.