Agronomist Anthony Maynard and his assistant, Anthony Alleyne, showing Veronica Brathwaite- Pamphile two types of sweet potatoes that can be found in Barbados.
More Barbadians buying local sweet potatoes
Tue, 10/18/2016 - 12:00am
Barbadians have been showing increased interest in consuming locally grown sweet potatoes.
So says agronomist, Anthony Maynard, who has responsibility for the Sweet Potato Research Programme of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management.
“Now that we are pushing the beta-carotene varieties …which are anti-cancer, have a good source of vitamins and minerals, [and are] high in starch, people are looking now more to sweet potatoes than the English potatoes. They are doing chips, they are baking, they are boiling and they are doing a number of things with the sweet potato now,” he explained,
Maynard spoke to The Barbados Advocate at the Agriculture Ministry’s recently held Farmers Market and Culinary Exhibition, held at its Graeme Hall location for World Food Day.
He shared that presently there are about 25 varieties of sweet potatoes that the Ministry is experimenting with through the Programme, and “so far we have isolated about ten that are doing very well”.
He added that unlike the old variety of sweet potatoes previously grown, these crops “are earlier maturing varieties and they are almost scabies resistant or tolerant…The varieties too are rich in beta-carotene, which is Vitamin A…the potatoes are also high in starch and fibre and protein.”
Maynard reminded members of the public that sweet potatoes can be prepared in a variety of ways, and he encouraged more Barbadians to create different recipes using the local crop. (MG)