Nevis anticipates a bumper onion harvest
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Minister of Agriculture Hon. Robelto Hector (third from left) takes a closer look at the onion field at New River during a recent field visit accompanied by (L-R) Director of Agriculture Mr. Keithley Amory, Extension Officer Ruben Viphus and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Kelvin Daly.
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CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (JANUARY 28, 2009) -- A bumper crop of onions is expected for the 2009 harvest and Minister of Agriculture Hon. Robelto Hector said he was pleased with the progress he had seen in the fields so far.
Mr. Hector, a former Agriculture Extension Officer, told the Department of Information recently following a visit to the government owned onion plantation at New River, that the sought after commodity helped with import substitution.
“In the past we have exported as far as Tortola, Dominica but onion is something that we use a lot in our diet, we can never produce all the onion that we need. So in terms of the import substitution I am happy.
“Looking at the quality of the crop we are going to have a great harvest. I think as an old extension officer I can judge it from this stage, the bulbing stage, to tell you where we are going. ~~Adz:Right~~
Once the correct monitoring is done we are going to have a successful crop this year,” he said.
At present the Department of Agriculture has four acres of land at New River under cultivation and the harvest is expected to commence in March to coincide with the Agriculture Open Day.
Notwithstanding, the Department has began to replant more onions as part of its targeted 15 acres of cultivation. The tier effect is expected to prolong the crop’s harvest till June.
