Efforts to resuscitate Barbuda’s peanut production being hampered by equipment failure and dry weather, Jones reports

Senator Fabian Jones, the Councillor in charge of the agriculture sector on Barbuda, says the highland project to resuscitate the island’s peanut production has been further delayed by several factors, including vital equipment being down.

Jones explains that their backhoe is over a decade old and has been deployed on other projects, as well.

The backhoe, which is owned by the Barbuda Council, is constantly being repaired, Jones says, adding that there is one on Antigua undergoing repairs, as well.

However, Jones reports that work is progressing and the equipment should be back on the island shortly.

Jones is the chairman of the Agriculture, Fisheries, Lands and Marine Development Committee. He says that evidence of the work has to be shown to the entity providing the funds in order to access further disbursements and get peanut production back to its pre-Irma levels.

The British High Commission is also assisting with this project, and Jones says it has more fencing materials to donate to the venture.

But in the meantime, he says, the dry weather has created some challenges in getting the field ready for production.