With just under three weeks before the year’s end, consumers can expect to pay more for their fresh market produce as farmers struggle to make ends meet.

President of the Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago Daryl Rampersad explained that with the recent flooding disaster, close to 75 per cent of this country’s crop production was swept down the drains.

Noting that prices are already at an all-time high, Rampersad warned that consumers should brace for even higher prices.

“Farmers cannot afford to replant. Many of the farmers who were affected by the weather and lost their crops, this is not the first time for the year this has happened to them. This is about the sixth time for the year so far that they have lost their investments. Many of them do not have the funding to replant and some of them are even fearful to replant.”

Rampersad said as a result, consumers can expect to see the high prices continue well into the next three to six months. 

“We are hoping that the market is going to stabilise and then we are going to see a decrease as production increases, going into the dry season. But by that time, right after the dry season, it’s rain again.”

Given the widespread losses incurred by farmers, Rampersad said he intends to approach the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Finance to compensate all producing farmers who suffered losses, not only registered farmers.

“I just finished preparing a document as it pertains to the incentive programme, where we are asking that consideration be given to all farmers in production at this point in time. More than 60 per cent of the farmers cannot access this programme because they are not registered. If any form of compensation is coming forward, we are asking that even the farmers who are unregistered receive some assistance to restart their production. We are also asking that compensation be given based on production not the land tenure."

Rampersad said while it is ‘rather disappointing’ that produce prices will be increased, without any assistance immediately forthcoming, farmers would not be enjoying their Christmas holidays.

“No Christmas for farmers this year, actually there is no Christmas for the entire Agricultural sector,” he said. 

Source - https://tt.loopnews.com