St. Kitts reports increased production in food crops, livestock production
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Local tomato farm in Mansion
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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JUNE 12TH 2008 (CUOPM) – The Ministry of Agriculture in St. Kitts is reporting increased production in agricultural output for both food crops and livestock last year compared to the previous year.
“2007 was a good one for food crop production bringing significant yields to most crops when compared to 2006,” said Acting Director of Agriculture, Mr. Ashton Stanley.
Mr. Stanley said the contribution of the former workers who were allocated acres of lands to farm following the closure of the sugar industry in 2005 has had a direct impact on the increased production achieved.
He reported a marked increase in the production of cabbage from 54,000 kilos in 2006 to 81,000 kilos in 2007. Carrot increased from 71,000 kilos in 2006 to 80,000 kilos in 2007; Onion increased from 19,000 kilos in 2006 to 22,000 kilos in 2007; Sweet Pepper went up from 30,000 kilos the previous year to 32,000 kilos in 2007; Tomato production increased from 132,000 kilos in 2006 to 141,000 kilos in 2007; White Potato up from 110,000 kilos in 2006 to 126,000 kilos in 2007; peanut up from 56,000 kilos in 2006 to 86,000 kilos in 2007; pineapple up from 53,000 kilos in 2006 to 60,000 kilos in 2007 and yam from 14,000 kilos in 2006 to 15,000 kilos in 2007.
100,000 kilos of water melon was produced in 2007 compared to 127,000 kilos in 2006 as a result of low acreages being planted and
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Local pineapple farm in Newton Ground
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crop failure.
According to the report, beef production during 2007 increased by 50.2 percent from 60,200 kilos in 2006 to 90,400 kilos in 2007.
The increased production during 2007 was achieved mainly by the willingness of the supermarkets to purchase more local beef at a competitive price and the ability of the farmers to supply.
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| Local beef burgers in supermarket.(Photos by Erasmus Williams) |
The Department of Agriculture on St. Kitts facilitated the sale of 49,340 kilos of beef to supermarkets and other processors and 8,415 kilos to the school feeding programme.
Mutton decreased from 9,700 kilos in 2006 to 8,600 kilos in 2007; pork increased from 73,900 kilos in 2006 to 74,600 kilos in 2007; goat meat increased from 12,100 kilos in 2006 to 14,600 kilos in 2007 and beef increased from 60,200 kilos in 2006 to 90,400 kilos in 2007.
A marginal increase in egg production was reported up, from 3,269,000 eggs in 2006 to 3,321,000 eggs in 2007.
