Agriculture Exhibition opens to enormous crowd

By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts-OVER 1000 students and members of the general public flocked to Warner Park Stadium this morning (Sept. 11) to view countless product booths and witness the opening ceremony of the Silver Jubilee Anniversary Agricultural Exhibition.

Dr. Jerome Thomas, Chairman of the Agricultural Exhibition Organizing Committee, stated that the scale of the three-day event was fitting considering the significance of this year’s Independence.

“When [the organizing committee] met we decided that for our 25th year of Independence we should organize an exhibition that reflects our celebration, rather than hold our usual one-day, open house at our facility in La Guerite.”

He also stated that hosting the event at Warner Park provided an opportunity to showcase the diversity and scale with which agriculture effects the economy of St. Kitts-Nevis.

“What we have attempted to do with this exhibition is to reflect on agriculture’s development in the first twenty-five years of Independence and project what developments will take place in the next twenty-five years.”

Minister with responsibility for Agriculture, Hon. Cedric Liburd, used the occasion to thank the farmers; former SSMC workers; the Cuban government; the Taiwanese Technical Mission and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for their continued contributions to the Federation’s food basket. 

“Agriculture production has taken on much significance since the closure of the sugar industry in 2005. Earlier this year a study showed that there has been an 11 percent increase from 2006 to 2007 in the impact agriculture is having on the economic performance of St. Kitts-Nevis,” Liburd informed.

In spite of this estimated growth in the sector, the gathered officials called on the people of the Federation to do more to increase the use of locally grown items.

“There has been a steady decline in contributions by the agricultural sector to the GDP from 16.7 percent in 1981 to 3.5 percent in 2006. I appeal to the general public for assistance in negating these problems…and to consume more local fruits, vegetables and livestock,” Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Sam Condor, said.

He then stated that the task of boosting agriculture in the Federation falls not only on the shoulders of the farmers, but on everyone from hotel kitchens who import food to the average man buying preserved items in the supermarket when much healthier local products are available.   ~~Adz:Right~~

Displays at the Agriculture Exhibition range from educational booths about agro-processing and fishing techniques to those concerning agriculture’s larger economic linkages, such as tourism and furniture.

The Agriculture Exhibition will be held from September 11-13 and will be open daily from 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Admission price is EC $5.