Boost for agriculture

The new Barbados Agricultural Marketing and Information System (BARMIS) will bridge the gap between the sellers and buyers of agricultural and fishery products, and hopefully also result in the reduction of this country’s food import bill.

So says Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management, Dr. David Estwick. He was speaking yesterday at the official launch of the BARMIS, which was held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Graeme Hall, Christ Church.

The minister explained that the lack of proper communication between sellers and buyers of agricultural produce has resulted in a fragmented production system, and one that bears very little relationship to what happens at the level of imports. He said the lack of information prevents the sector from being able to effectively drive domestic production.

Now with the BARMIS, he said they will be better able to build out the domestic market and reduce unnecessary imports. He noted that the system will give farmers – who he said are producing excellent quality goods – the opportunity to interface directly in a real time way with potential purchasers.

“For too long in Barbados we have had the demand side of the equation. General consumers – whether it is Ma and Pa up the street, whether it is a hotelier, whether it is a fast food restaurant, whether it is a guesthouse or a supermarket – indicating that they can’t get product x and product y, but product x and product y are being produced in St. Lucy or the top of St. Philip. The issue has always been that there was no way for the hotelier to know that these products exist and that they exist in the quantities that they require on a monthly or annual basis,” he said.

Through the BARMIS, he said Barbados will now for the first time have the “essential linkage” in place between the purchaser and producer and that, he said, is going to transform the local agricultural sector.

“As long as you are an area that is designed as an established market in Barbados, we are going to be requesting information in regards to the products you carry, the price of those products and those are going to be listed in an organised fashion on the internet. So that an individual can now compare and contrast, he can now determine whether his price is out the range or in the range. It also gives the consumer an opportunity to determine how he wants to spend his money,” he said.

Minister Estwick added that the system will also assisting in levelling out the prices over time and by extension the producers will be able to improve their operations. He added also that in respect of reducing the food import bill, no longer will restaurateurs for instance, be able say that they cannot access local produce, as they will have access to the “large body” of local farmers from whom they would be able to get the commodities required. To that end, he is urging local farmers to get their products on the system and engage with potential buyers. (JRT)