Ministry Of Agriculture Seeks To Rekindle Breeding Programmes And Increase Crop Production

Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 22, 2020 (SKNIS): Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Alexis Jeffers, said that he and his ministry are committed to rekindling breeding programmes and increasing crop production within the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis during an exclusive interview with SKNIS on October 22 at the Ministry of Finance Conference Room.

He said, “We are in a very difficult period of time and what we do and the planning that we are to put in place at this time as well will prepare us fully to roll out the programmes that were spoken about on Tuesday.”

When speaking about the budget presentation made by his Permanent Secretary Ron Collins, he said, “Indeed he would have done an excellent job and during his presentation, he would have laid the platform for what we will do in crop production, livestock production, and fisheries.”

“He would have spoken about the launch or the reopening of Bayford’s Centre of Excellence, an area that would have been somewhat of a breadbasket when it came to livestock in the past,” said Minister Jeffers

“We want to rekindle that and have some breeding programs, training and also a way to get our farmers some new breed and some upgraded and updated animals as well whether it may be small ruminants or cattle,” he said.

“We are hoping to increase our production in various crops and we have done an excellent job in terms of beefing up our Propagation Unit and we are hoping that we can get our production up to a point where we can at least explore the possibilities of sending products overseas to our neighbouring islands,” Minister Jeffers added.