T&T farmers enter Barbados market

(Trinidad Guardian) - Local farmers may soon be getting more opportunities to export produce to the region, Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj said yesterday when he oversaw the export of 1000 kilos of paw paw to Barbados. Maharaj and a team from the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (Namdevco) arrived at the Servis terminal at Piarco shortly before 6 am for the loading of paw paw grown by Wallerfield farmer Nita Hinds. Maharaj said he was glad to see T&T’s farmers enter the Barbadian market after almost a decade. He said there is a demand for paw paw, pineapple, pumpkin and dasheen bush in the Caribbean. The minister said as more farmers get in the agricultural export drive, packing houses being developed by Namdevco will be in greater demand. He urged farmers to start producing more and work closely with Namdevco if they are interested in exporting their produce. (Entire article)