Agriculture

Grow more indigenous crops

Min­is­ter of Agri­cul­ture, Land and Fish­eries Clarence Ramb­harat is hope­ful the re­cent­ly an­nounced $100,000 agri­cul­tur­al grant will en­cour­age farm­ing of more in­dige­nous crops.

The Min­is­ter was speak­ing at the San­ta Rosa First Peo­ples School Ral­ly at the na­tion­al rac­quet cen­tre on Wednes­day.

Ramb­harat said the agri­cul­ture in­cen­tive grant, one of the mea­sures an­nounced in last Mon­day's bud­get, could reignite agri­cul­tur­al ac­tiv­i­ty among the First Peo­ples com­mu­ni­ty.

Cabinet reaches decision to divest land to Guave Road farmers

Cabinet has agreed to the divestment of lands in Chaguaramas currently owned by the Chaguaramas Development Authority to the State, for the purpose of granting leases to the Guave Road farmers, who have been involved in a legal dispute with the CDA since 2015. 

Otaheite fishermen want $3 million depot open

Af­ter spend­ing $3 mil­lion to re­fur­bish the Ota­heite Fish­ing Com­plex, fish­er­men say they are forced to sell their catch out­side on the car park, brav­ing wind, rain, and sun be­cause the Fish­eries Di­vi­sion has locked them out.

In­ter­viewed, pres­i­dent of the Ota­heite Fish­ing As­so­ci­a­tion Clement Charles said its been two years since the fa­cil­i­ty was closed.

In the mean­time, fish ven­dors are con­tin­u­ing to op­er­ate from the car park.

Applications for state land coming online soon

Citizens will soon be able to complete applications for State land online.

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat made the announcement Friday during a brief ceremony to launch the Ministry’s new website at its Chaguanas head office.

The website, which lives at www.agriculture.gov.tt, is part of a wider strategy to move beyond the delivery of services via the ministry’s regional offices and serve stakeholders wherever they are.

Los Iros farmers still awaiting relocation

Earth­quake dis­placed farm­ers from Los Iros are beg­ging the Min­is­ter of Agri­cul­ture Clarence Ramb­harat to make good on his promise to re­lo­cate them.

Its been al­most a month since 100 acres of arable farm­lands were de­stroyed in the 6.9 mag­ni­tude earth­quake.

Since then farm­ers have been un­able to sow or har­vest their crops.

Nob­bie Mathu­ra, who cul­ti­vates five ar­eas, said it breaks his heart to see fields of pep­pers and oth­er crops go to waste.

20 farmers get leases to state land

Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Clarence Rambharat has distributed letters conveying Cabinet approval to 20 farmers, entitling these farmers to receive standard agricultural leases for an initial period of thirty 30 years.

The distribution ceremony - the second in three days - took place on Monday at the Rio Claro Demonstration Station in Ecclesville.

Locust infestation in Central Trinidad

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat has confirmed there is a locust infestation in several parts of the country. 

The Guardian Media team saw hundreds of locusts in the fields of Tortuga in Central Trinidad but Rambharat said the swarms are currently feeding high up in the forests and are posing no threats to farmers.

Asked whether there was an infestation, Rambharat said yes. He explained that the Ministry had reports of infestations at Tortuga, Caparo, Moruga, and Tabaquite. The insects inhabit areas close to forested areas, Rambharat added.

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