BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Ministry of Agriculture recently received a brand new power tiller from the Republic of China (Taiwan) after the one it previously had was destroyed by fire.
Permanent Secretary in that Ministry Al Edwards explained that the previous piece of equipment was among tools in a storeroom at the Need Must Farm which was gutted in 2015.
“Some of you would recall last year that the storeroom on the farm was brought down by some mysterious fire and in the storeroom, along with some other tools, was a power tiller. (The) power tiller is used pretty often for the workers over here and so we requested them to replace it…they have done so.
The equipment was handed over by Taiwanese Ambassador His Excellency George Gow Wei Chiou to the Minister of Agriculture the Hon. Eugene Hamilton.
Acting Director of Agriculture Ian Chapman, in an interview with SKNVibes explained that since the destruction of the previous machine, the workers of the Need Must Farm have endured a number of challenges which would now be remedied.
He explained that most of the tillage had to be done manually and that occasionally, the Department’s tractor would be used. But even in that case, the workers would have to wait until it was available for use.
“With them having this piece of equipment, they don’t have to wait on anyone. So they would be able to prepare their planting areas as they ought. Having this piece of equipment would save time and enhance productivity and production.”
Among the crops grown on the Need Must Farm are sugar apple, carambola, pitaya (Dragon Fruit), pineapple, pumpkin, sugar cane, sorrel, jujube and wax apples.
