Agriculture Minister to get into arrowroot farming

Minister of Agriculture, Saboto Caesar has announced that he will soon be planting five acres of arrowroot.{{more}}

“I am so impressed by the farmers in this area (North Windward), who continue in the arrowroot industry, … that this year, I will be planting five acres of the crop, in my personal capacity as Saboto Caesar,” the minister stated on Tuesday.

“I have already spoken to persons from whom I am going to get the materials for planting and we are going to start planting in the next three weeks,” he added.

Meanwhile, general manager of the Arrowroot Industry Association Caldric Browne stated that the arrowroot industry is reviving “quite well”.

During an agricultural tour to the Windward side of the island, Browne, accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture and members of the media, visited Brennal Bracken’s farm in Orange Hill, where he was harvesting one acre of arrowroot.

Bracken’s farm is the third that has been harvested this year.

“What I’ve seen so far, things are looking pretty good. We are hoping that in the next three months, we will be able to harvest and process all of the 62 acres of arrowroot that are down for reaping this year,” Browne revealed.

He said some farmers have abandoned arrowroot production, because of a number of reasons, mainly because of the low price at which the crop is being bought.

“The Minister is working along with us now, so we want to give an increase in price this year. Last year we had an increase of 15 cents – from 35 cents to 50 cents per pound and from all indications, a lot of farmers want to go back into arrowroot.

“This year we are hoping that price can increase,” Browne added.

From the field, the arrowroot is taken to the factory located at Owia, where it is crushed and the starch is obtained. The raw starch is then taken from Owia to Orange Hill, where it is pulverised and packaged for export. The packaged starch is exported to United States buyers ASI and Company.

There are presently 61 active arrowroot farmers. (AA)