St Lucia was commended for having the region’s best performing agricultural sector at the recently concluded CARICOM Agri Investment Forum in Trinidad.
In an interview with MBC News, Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip Pierre said that Saint Lucia’s agricultural output is exceeding expectations.
“St Lucia is doing very well in terms of agriculture. The figures from CARICOM show that we have actually exceeded their quota for fruits and vegetables.”
However, the Prime Minister believes more can be done to increase the value of St Lucia and agricultural products. He argues there is a market for processed goods made from raw materials.
The economy of St Lucia has traditionally been dependent on exporting raw materials overseas. It is Pierre’s belief that farmers could reap substantial benefits if their produce was processed in St Lucia, especially young farmers.
Youths in Saint Lucia, according to Pierre, are modernizing the agricultural sector, as opposed to youths in other Caribbean countries who do not engage in agriculture.
