V Alfred Gray, Minister of Marine Resources.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
AS 40 students begin the school term at the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI), Agriculture Minister V Alfred Gray touted the institution’s expanding production of food yesterday as he pledged that the price of food imports will be cut in half by 2021 because of BAMSI’s work.
Reducing the country’s reliance on food imports is the prime reason for BAMSI’s existence and Mr Gray said within the last year about $100 million worth of food in the country was supplied by BAMSI.
The institution’s most prosperous crop has been banana, with 200 produced each week, he said. Bananas are then sold in major food stores as well as BAMSI’s store.
The institution also has four and a half acres worth of coconuts under production. This will be expanded to 10 acres within months, Mr Gray said.
“It is envisioned that soon we will import no coconut water in the Bahamas,” he added. “It is intended that BAMSI will soon be able to produce coconut water for Bahamian consumption.”
Four and half acres of limes, two acres of papaya, 35 acres of mangoes, 30 acres of avocados and four and half acres of plantains are also under production.
About 100 associated farmers work with BAMSI in a programme to grow crops and sell them to BAMSI.
The farmers have “strict” requirements to adhere to, including international standards for fertilisation, usage and preservation, Mr Gray said.
He said the marine farming side of BAMSI has not progressed as quickly as the agriculture side.
“That’s because it’s much more technical to grow fish than to grow plants,” he said, adding that 3,000 pounds of hydroponically grown lettuce have already been grown and shipped to New Providence within the last few months.
Noting that the Bahamas imports about $900m worth of food each year, Mr Gray said: “(BAMSI) is in the process of launching a major project, Agri-vision 2021, which is a five-year food security plan to feed the Bahamas.
“It is envisioned that this food security plan over the next five years will take local production to the half billion dollar mark in local output.”
As for livestock, Mr Gray said whereas BAMSI started off with 23 sheep and goats in 2014, it now has 437 such animals, some of which have been imported and others which have been born at the farm.
Mr Gray said a projected 52 people will graduate from BAMSI next year.
Comments
ohdrap4 8 years, 2 months ago
it is so funny i want to cry.
200 bananas a week, we eat one plaintain a day, so if half households in nassau do this, you need 175,000 a week.
but he may be clairvoyant, downgrade is coming and by then, there will be way less than 900 million to buy food with, thererore cutting the imports in half.
they used to say that papaer stays still and lets you write anything on it.
well, tribune reporters sit still and let politicians say anything. Not even asks if it is true that chinese farms in abaco that will send all products back to china.
stillwaters 8 years, 2 months ago
Gray, please go away, in Jesus name!!!!
stillwaters 8 years, 2 months ago
Nobody wants to hear anyrhing from you! Nothing!
The_Oracle 8 years, 2 months ago
Uh Oh, severe dieting coming soon! Inter Island shipping logistics and food storage has been the #1 problem for the movement of locally grown produce since the 60's! Detailed in one of the earliest "studies" done in 1968, I remember the harbor red with Tomatoes thrown off boats by case loads incoming from Eleuthera hearing from outgoing boats that potters cay was overloaded and taking no more. Ridiculous then, ridiculous now.
Naughtydread 8 years, 2 months ago
200 bananas a week at this rate I think we will be able to stop world hunger! Good job Gray I always knew I could count on you!
TalRussell 8 years, 2 months ago
Comrades! If Minister V. Alfred tried to mustachio-less disguise himself when he goes 2017 campaign door knocking, the good constituents MICAL, will still quickly recognize him by his works since 2012.
The only way BAMSI could possibly sprungs economic dollars success in excess of the PLP Cabinet's $60 million expenditure, would be to issue marijuana licenses to enterprising Androsians, to begin cultivating weed to export and sell from their on-sight Retail Weed Outlets and Smokin' & Inhalin Cafes.
realfreethinker 8 years, 2 months ago
Is this clown serious. Cut the import bill in half ? Ya'll mussy ga have a plantain,banana,and papaya diet. He is one bungee hole
hallmark 8 years, 2 months ago
It's amazing how these people can talk such drivel with straight faces!!
truetruebahamian 8 years, 2 months ago
Gray is a sad excuse for a sad excuse. He wastes and makes ridiculous excuses for wasting OUR money, not his, not the government's but OURS!
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 2 months ago
half acres of limes, two acres of papaya, 35 acres of mangoes, 30 acres of avocados and four and half acres of plantains are also under production.
Limes mangoes, papaya, avocados, plantains....what is the vision for this place??? And how much of this production is being done by farmers in place before
SP 8 years, 1 month ago
.................................. Election campaign 2017 Is In Full Swing! ......................................
HOW could anybody be stupid enough to listen to this jackass, or believe anything coming out of his mouth?
Bahamians know first hand that "a promise is a comfort for a fool".
STFU Alfred Gray!
asiseeit 8 years, 1 month ago
CROOK!
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