PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (Trinidad Guardian) – Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj said more of T&T’s agricultural produce may soon be available in Caribbean market. At the re-commissioning of the Orange Valley Wholesale Fish Market in Couva yesterday, Maharaj said Namdevco will soon start construction of five packing houses at the cost of $8 million each. He said the packing houses will absorb local produce with the objective of selling the excess to customers in regional markets.
The minister said a shipment of local produce will be sent to Barbados next week. Maharaj said the government chose to upgrade the facilities at Orange Valley because over time, they had been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. He said  five fish landing sites had been rehabilitated to give the industry a boost.
He added that the ministry was working closely with all of its state boards to ensure that the needs of the agriculture sector are met with optimum efficiency. “The Orange Valley Wholesale Fish Market has been refurbished with a holistic plan to better suit the needs of fisher folk and consumers,” he said.(Full article)