Farmers: Don’t blame us for high prices

WHEN food prices rise, do not blame farmers, blame the Government for not putting proper mea­sures in place to keep food prices down.

This was the view expressed by president of the Trinidad Unified Far­mers’ Association Shiraz Khan, who said stakehol­ders involved in the agriculture sector were not pleased with the 2013-2014 National Budget allocation of $1.3 billion to the Agriculture Ministry.

The allocation was the same as last year’s.

Khan was speaking at Tuesday’s post-budget breakfast forum hosted by the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) and the Co-op­erative Cre­­-dit Uni­on League of Trinidad and Toba­go, at OWTU’s building, Circular Road, San Fernando.

Khan also said stakeholders were against Gov­ernment’s decision to use land in Guyana for agricultural purposes. 

“Charity begins at home. You leaving our far­mers in Trinidad and Tobago to go Guyana. What you all going to do there? They (Government) gave out 1,000 acres of land for the Chaguanas West by-election and they going to plant 10,000 acres in Guyana.

“If it is they give the far­mers here proper roads to go into their lands, give them irrigation systems in the dry season and save them from flooding in the rai­ny season, we will be able to produce food.” 

Khan said agricultu­ral land was significantly cheaper in Guyana because the Guyanese government “care about feed­ing their people and making their farmers a better livelihood”. 

In July, more than 400 ex-Caroni workers received leases from the Government.

Khan said others should be granted such leases.

Economist Indera Sa­ge­wan-Alli, who also spoke at the forum, said she agreed with Khan’s statement that the food import bill was too high and that mechanisms be put in place to reduce pri­ces as well as assist farmers. 

Adapted from Trinidad Express Newspaper: Farmers: Don’t blame us for high prices