Agriculture Ministry Praised For Successful Agri Night Market Initiative
Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 21, 2021 (Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & Marine Resources):
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources has been lauded for the success of Iits most recently held Agri Night in the Market initiative.
While appearing on the April 20 edition of Leadership Matters, Educator and well known farmer, Winston Morris congratulated the Ministry for successfully organizing the event and explained why he is pleased about the Night Market.
“I would like to congratulate the Department for hosting that because I have been a beneficiary of that process because a lot of my products were asked for and sold for that occasion so I feel glad. Continue to do it and do it more regularly, I believe it is better for all farmers because our stuff goes off like that so it really, really, really has been good. It really has been good”, Mr. Morris exclaimed.
In sharing the same sentiments, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Hon. Timothy Harris expressed his delight in hearing how the Agri Night Market has been widely advantageous to all agriculture stakeholders.
He said, “I too would want to commend the Department of Agriculture for this effort. I am very happy by what Winston has said that it has provided an additional avenue for farmers to earn a livelihood and therefore add to their take home pay if you will as a result of participation in agriculture. Not just those involved in the production of produce but those who go on to do some form of Agro processing; use the input whether fruits etcetera to bottle drinks or create the hot sauce etcetera, etcetera. It is a good cross section of persons who in fact benefits, so I also am encouraged by the reports and happy to hear one of our leading farmers speak well about it”.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Ron Dublin Collins said that the feedback from the Agri Night Market has been extremely positive and has influenced the decision to host the event on a regular basis.
“The attendance has been great, the vendors have participated [from] all different sectors. We had different stakeholders, we have had livestock, crop, we have had poultry. It has been a work in progress. The last one held last month, the numbers were tremendous. So what we are proposing to do is to have it the last Wednesday in every month”, he revealed.
Collins went on to explain that the initiative aims to increase the buying and selling of goods while also reviving use of the Basseterre Public Market. He announced that the Department of Agriculture will be meeting with vegetable and fruit vendors on Thursday April 22 to discuss what is being offered at the market and how they can be accommodated.
The 3rd edition of the Agri Night in the Market is scheduled for Wednesday May 26. Local produce, fresh fish and meat products will be available for purchase from 5pm-9pm.