Minister of Commerce and Trade, Senator Haynesley Benn, speaking at the
opening of a strategic workshop for non-financial co-operatives at the
Co-operative Department yesterday morning.
Make full use of incentives!
7/3/2012
Minister looking to boost agricultural sector
CO-OPERATIVES in the agricultural sector are being urged to take advantage of the incentives being provided by the Government to help boost the sector.
The call has come from Minister of Commerce and Trade, Senator Haynesley Benn, whose Ministry is responsible for the Co-operative Movement in Barbados. His comments came at the opening of a strategic workshop for non-financial co-operatives at the Co-operative Department yesterday morning.
“You have seen from the recently concluded Budget that Government has once again provided incentives aimed at boosting the agricultural sector and there are many incentives that are there... There is no doubt that these incentives will benefit agricultural co-operatives and I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all stakeholders to reposition themselves to take full advantage of them,” the Minister said.
Referring to the Pig Farmers Co-operatives, he explained that its members have the opportunity to benefit from a $500 rebate for every gilt that is raised to the breeding stage, and a 50 per cent rebate for the importation of livestock to enhance the breeds currently available in Barbados. He explained that this was a programme that was in place before, but which had fallen by the wayside. According to him, the pig industry in Barbados is going through a bit of a lull, and those incentives should result in an increase in the number of livestock, as well as an improvement in the quality of the livestock.
Minister Benn added that similar efforts were undertaken with sheep some years back, to improve the quality of lamb being sold locally.
“So these programmes have been ongoing for a long time, but often times, once they’re doing well we tend to drop them, and we become complacent, so I am urging you not to become too complacent. Let us continue to run the course with vigour; this will result in a number of positive movements with the number and quality of livestock in your area,” he said.
Likewise, he is encouraging the members of the St. George Farmers’ Marketing Co-operative Society Limited to again make use of the tractor cultivation scheme, which Government is reintroducing. (JRT)
