Taiwan official presents Carolla carrot seeds to SVG

The Ministry of Agriculture this week received a quantity of Carrot seeds from the Taiwanese Technical Mission to assist in the local vegetable production programme.{{more}}

On Monday, October 5, Chief of Mission Mr. Chin Yu Lee handed over thirteen pounds (13lbs) of carrot seeds, variety Carolla, to the Chief Agricultural Officer, Reuben Robertson.

Robertson, on receiving the seeds, outlined that the donation came in quick response to an appeal made to the local Taiwanese Mission to assist with the vegetable production programme this year. He stated that in 2008, St.Vincent and the Grenadines received from the Food and Agriculture Organization assistance in the sum of US$250,000. Of this US$20,000 was used for the purchasing, propagation and distribution of a variety of vegetable seeds to farmers. However, due to a very poor germination percentage, the Ministry of Agriculture was unable to supply the quantities needed to plant a targeted 20 acres of carrots, projected to meet the demands for vegetables in the upcoming tourist and the Christmas seasons. “As a result we can now produce some 6 to 8 acres of carrots which will help to reduce the levels of imports during those periods.”

Close to 60 farmers have already been indentified to receive the seeds which will be distributed by the end of the week. In response, Lee declared that he was happy to have been of assistance to the Ministry and by extension the farmers and Government of St.Vincent and the Grenadines.