BADMC making strides

 

This is according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shawn Tudor, who revealed that in a single financial year BADMC has been able to increase its sales revenue by $1.2 million and reduce its deficit by 25 per cent.

 

Delivering the DLP Lecture on Friday, he shared that in total, lands under BADMC management produced 21 563 765 lbs of produce and $30 151 543 in value.

 

“That is $30 million in economic activity that would not have been there except for the facilitation and intervention of BADMC.

 

“It is difficult to find another sector where such a return on investment is being made. The Government is putting $4.5 million into BADMC and we can demonstrate $30 million in economic activity from primary produce. That is a return of $6.67 on every $1 that the Government puts in. Agriculture works,” he stressed of the statutory corporation, which has a mission to develop non-sugar agriculture in Barbados by leveraging innovative technologies.

 

Agribusiness

 

In the first four months of 2016 alone, BADMC’s Food Promotion Unit purchased over 16 000 kilogrammes (or 36 000 pounds) of fresh cassava and sweet potato tubers from local crop farmers for processing into gluten-free flours, flour mixes, baked goods and sorbets. Additionally, the Meat Department sourced over 11 000 kilogrammes of local beef and Blackbelly lamb, all from Barbadian livestock farmers, to produce fresh butchered meats, seasoned burgers and sausages and a new line of smoked meats.

 

“Indeed, it should be noted that of the 27 value-added products currently on offer in the Carmeta’s range, seven of these were innovated by BADMC’s Food Production team in the past seven months,” he disclosed.

 

“All of these new food innovations, most notably Carmeta’s Blackbelly Lamb Ham and Carmeta’s Cassava Colada Sorbet, have received overwhelmingly positive reviews from Barbadian consumers and visitors alike. I am also pleased to report that several new crop- and meat-based foods, including an exciting new banana jam product bound for the UK market, are in research and development for eventual addition to the Carmeta’s range, as well as licensing to local and international food manufacturers.”

 

Two new food innovation facilities

 

It is BADMC’s intent to become the recognised leader in food innovation and development in Barbados, says Tudor.

 

According to him, BADMC’s Food Promotion Unit will move to a newly refurbished 10 000 square-foot factory space at its Fairy Valley Plantation headquarters. In addition to expanding crop-based food production capacity, he said this new centre of food innovation will feature HACCP-certified kitchen facilities, which will be made available to small agro-processors.

 

“At our Princess Alice Highway location, our Food Innovation facilities are also expanding to include a new Smoke House and expanded cold storage facilities, which will again increase demand for produce from local farmers.”

 

Tudor also shared with those gathered at the DLP headquarters that BADMC’s Commercial Development activities complete their ‘farm to fork’ value chain development mandate through management of three retail operations.

 

Serving a plethora of value-driven local consumers and travellers, Carmeta’s Retail Shop at Princess Alice Highway, the newly launched Carmeta’s Farm & Factory Outlet at Fairy Valley Plantation and Carmeta’s Liquor & Duty-Free at Grantley Adams International Airport facilitate promotion and retail sale of established and up-and-coming local value-added food products – ranging from staples and fancy foods to beverages and confectionery through product and agro-processing advisory services, in-store promotional sampling and stocking.

 

The BADMC CEO further revealed that since January 2015, these stores have grossed over $1.5 million in sales of local value-added products.

 

“These efforts combine to catalyse agribusiness development within the agricultural sector while protecting food and nutrition security for all Barbadians,” he added. (TL)