Agriculture Ministry looking to boost local pepper farming

 

The Agriculture Ministry says it is channelling resources into the development of the local pepper industry.

 

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green says two greenhouses are being built at the Bodles Research Centre in St. Catherine, to boost seed production, especially for scotch bonnet. 

 

"We've moved our seed production from 20,000 seeds, which was [in 2022], to 50,000 seeds last year. And that is work in progress. We've also established a new greenhouse at the Montpellier Research Station, again, to drive the production of red pepper, so that we can increase the amounts that we're supplying to our farmers, that we're supplying to our companies," he said. 

 

"We're also working with the FAO on our scotch bonnett, because again, we want to ensure that we maintain that authentic scotch bonnet flavour profile; establishing our database, we're training 25 people, we're spending with the FAO about US$1 million on that," the minister added.