Barbuda Council will reach out to international agencies to get agriculture up and running, but melon production is doing well

Fabian Jones, Chairman of the Agriculture Committee on the Barbuda Council, says the Council will be looking to strengthen and forge new partnerships with regional and international agencies in order to boost its once-thriving peanut production.

Jones says the Ministry of Agriculture has not been of much help in getting this sector back up and running.

Barbuda was once known for its high-grade peanuts. However, due to infrastructural damage caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017, the island has not been able to resume planting of this crop.

To address this challenge, the British High Commission recently donated equipment valued at over EC$30,000 value to the Council.

Jones says it will be used to remove the current hindrances and provide another revenue channel for the local government.

Meanwhile, speaking about melon production on the sister island, Jones says this crop has been doing well and the yield was good over the past several months.