Agrofest is here again
Today marks the start of Barbados’ premier agricultural exhibition – Agrofest 2017.
The Barbados Agricultural Society, in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture, has now successfully staged this exhibition for the past eleven years, on the last weekend in February, at Queen’s Park in the island’s capital of Bridgetown. And according to the organisers, the agricultural exhibition is expected to attract a minimum of sixty thousand patrons over the period of its operation, this year.
According to the Agrofest Prospectus, initial market surveys and research indicate that the mature market segment was most likely to attend in the initial years of the event. However, Agrofest is now attracting a younger audience. The more mature audience has however not been left out this year, the organisers say, as this year’s national agricultural exhibition has been marketed with a product mix that meets the expectations of a mature audience, to build on those feelings of nostalgia held by the older folk who have been loyal to the exhibition.
Be that as it may, we can safely say that Agrofest presents patrons with a unique opportunity to experience all the facets of Barbados’ agricultural sector, in a relaxed and comfortable environment, whether young or old. Vegetable and fruit farmers, livestock farmers as well as persons involved in horticulture and other areas, come together in order to showcase a variety of high quality local products. What we would like to see however, are some new and exciting products coming on stream this year and in the years to come. Barbados really does have a number of indigenous materials which can be exploited for our benefit. That said, a few persons as well as entities have tried their hand at producing locally produced goods that are of a high quality and have the 100% Bajan stamp of approval. I have seen exhibited soaps using the milk of the Black Belly Sheep as well as goat’s milk and I think greater effort must be made to produce these local products in vast quantities, once the interest is there at the local and international level. I have also taken note of the cassava flour that Barbadians can’t seem to get enough of, that surfaces around the time of Agrofest, and now there is breadfruit flour and a few other varieties.
On another note, I do believe Agrofest presents endless opportunities for entrepreneurs. It also holds much excitement for young school children who visit time and time again to view the animals, cooking demonstrations and various booths set up. There is always plenty in store for adults as well who love plants, live fish, good ground provisions, art and craft and the host of other goodies that await at Agrofest.
The agricultural exhibition is being marketed as a family event and I think this is commendable as well. I am sure we can all agree that family life in Barbados is not quite what it used to be, as the family now seems so disjointed and relatives have to schedule time to see one another. Agrofest however will present an opportunity for quality family time to be experienced by adults and youth alike and I do hope that Barbadians will see this as one of the benefits, as they invest in the exhibition, by way of their entrance fee.