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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (FEBRUARY 4TH 2004) – A good report card on the beef industry in St. Kitts.
The Department of Agriculture is reporting that beef production has maintained the annual increases since the introduction of its beef marketing initiative in September 2001.
Director of Agriculture, Dr. Jerome Thomas said beef production last year increased by 23 percent, from 67,500 kg in 2002 to 83,200 kg in 2003.
“The increase was mainly as a result of the rising demand for boneless beef,” said Dr. Thomas, who said that the total production of boneless beef that was facilitated by the Department of Agriculture, increased by 38 percent from 23,290 kg in 2002 to 32,083 kg in 2003.
The boneless beef for 2003 was processed from 280 cattle that were obtained from 85 farmers. The value of the boneless beef for 2003 was EC$199,916.75 compared with EC$142,147.92 the previous year or an increase of 40 percent.
The activities of the beef sub-programme included facilitating the sale of beef to agro-processors, supermarkets and government institutions as well as extension visits and farmer training.
The sale of beef to Government institutions increased by 38 percent from 11,708 kg in 2002 to 16,194 kg in 2003. The beef sale was mainly to the school feeding programme.
A total of 59 farmers supplied 102 cattle for this activity. The value of the beef sold was EC$107,100.00. |
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