moving agriculture sector forward.....

[shake d livin wake d dead]

good morning tuners I am presently engaged in a drive along with the Agribusiness society at UWI concerning improving the agriculture sector.we plan to start from primary schools go up the ladder,in each and every county in Trinidad and Tobago from Moruga to Toco..

I am asking you all in here what do you guys think would be essential for the development of such and industry which is probably the most important in the world today....I bed no Facking trolls please... thanks

[ray d saint]

With the current rate of inflation of 5.7% u think increasing the cost of fresh produce going to help or make things worst???

think abt it??

[RASC]

I honestly believe that farmers are treated unfairly in this country..As a fellow farmer I agree with the Farmer's Association to raise food prices, and by a whole lot as well.Consumers could say what they want they still have to buy...

What do you guys think?

Why do you believe they should increase food prices?

[shake d livin wake d dead]

so why it is that farmers must pay more taxes for land,face higher prices for chemicals and last but not least,be stereotyped by this backward nation as having slave jobs..where in several countries around the world Agriculture is top priority,and farmers are treated as if they are the most important thing to that country. Canada is the perfect example of this..

[ray d saint]

^^^^ Trinidad is still dependent on Natural Gas & Oil and not to concerned to go green jus yet.... when they do come into such maturity... then u will c the respect u so longed for come to the ppl who till the soil...

[ronsin1]

yes the government is for Agriculture you eh see the kinda vehicles they buying

[shake d livin wake d dead]

^^^^ Trinidad is still dependent on Natural Gas & Oil and not to concerned to go green jus yet.... when they do come into such maturity... then u will c the respect u so longed for come to the ppl who till the soil...

so why wait?? everybody on oil and natural gas...yuh cyah eat dat inno...and allyuh doh realise we import every blasted thing.have you seen our food import bill? it's rather worrying...

[VexXx Dogg]

Plenty talking about what they gonna do.
not sure what is actually being done.

[Dizzy28]

Besides the contribution to food crops farmers contribute no income tax, no VAT, no corporation tax, they paying much less than market rates for land (even after the current proposed increase) and they receive exemptions when purchasing vehicles.

All businessmen not just farmers have to deal with rising input costs. Other businesses actually have to pay taxes though.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Besides the contribution to food crops farmers contribute no income tax, no VAT, no corporation tax, they paying much less than market rates for land (even after the current proposed increase) and they receive exemptions when purchasing vehicles.

All businessmen not just farmers have to deal with rising input costs. Other businesses actually have to pay taxes though.

do you know how much for chemicals these days? although they receive exemptions when purchasing vehicles,do you know how difficult it is to go to the ADB and get a loan..it is the WORSE...other businesses have the luxury of security systems for their trade,does a small farmer have anything to prevent men stealing his produce??

[ray d saint]

^^^^ Trinidad is still dependent on Natural Gas & Oil and not to concerned to go green jus yet.... when they do come into such maturity... then u will c the respect u so longed for come to the ppl who till the soil...

so why wait?? everybody on oil and natural gas...yuh cyah eat dat inno...and allyuh doh realise we import every blasted thing.have you seen our food import bill? it's rather worrying...

to be honest i dunno myself what is the wait... maybe when my grandchildren realise Trinidad has no more Oil or NG... dais even if is so long again...

Besides the contribution to food crops farmers contribute no income tax, no VAT, no corporation tax, they paying much less than market rates for land (even after the current proposed increase) and they receive exemptions when purchasing vehicles.

All businessmen not just farmers have to deal with rising input costs. Other businesses actually have to pay taxes though.

This is also a very notable side of the coin... but not all will share this opinion...

[Dizzy28]

Besides the contribution to food crops farmers contribute no income tax, no VAT, no corporation tax, they paying much less than market rates for land (even after the current proposed increase) and they receive exemptions when purchasing vehicles.

All businessmen not just farmers have to deal with rising input costs. Other businesses actually have to pay taxes though.

do you know how much for chemicals these days? although they receive exemptions when purchasing vehicles,do you know how difficult it is to go to the ADB and get a loan..it is the WORSE...other businesses have the luxury of security systems for their trade,does a small farmer have anything to prevent men stealing his produce??

Would be interesting to ever see even basic accounts for a farmer. We hear all the beat about about costs...what about profits. If it was so bad why ppl still in it?

[sliderz1]

smart farmers know how to make money, besides its only farmers who plant multi crops on a single piece of land does ketch dey nenen

[shake d livin wake d dead]

most people are still in it because,it is all they know,and most of the times a farmer would say he hates working for another person.most farming is done in the rural areas of the country where poverty is visible..children are not afforded the luxury of a good education,so they learn what they know best (farming)...take a drive up Mayaro, Mafeking,Biche,etc etc and you would see what I talking about.
as for the profits,it all depends on the product and its demand by the public...there are farmers who made it big in Trinidad and I could count them on my hand...the smaller farmers would have to settle for a short term crop and hopes he gets a good price in the market...

[InDeForest]

Its a sticky situation, to jack up local produce prices just means more importation is going to take place and be supported by the population. Another jack up in cost of production and everyones living will take place soon if the Govt removes the fuel subsidy. I'd like to see govt subsidize fertilizer and chemicals.

[nervewrecker]

Besides the contribution to food crops farmers contribute no income tax, no VAT, no corporation tax, they paying much less than market rates for land (even after the current proposed increase) and they receive exemptions when purchasing vehicles.

All businessmen not just farmers have to deal with rising input costs. Other businesses actually have to pay taxes though.

do you know how much for chemicals these days? although they receive exemptions when purchasing vehicles,do you know how difficult it is to go to the ADB and get a loan..it is the WORSE...other businesses have the luxury of security systems for their trade,does a small farmer have anything to prevent men stealing his produce??

^^^

That!

There are stiffer penalties for a broken tail light than there is to deter bandits from stealing farmers produce.
Clearly we dont give a crap about agriculture or making a move to diversify the economy, all we sticking to is oil & gas & turning a blind eye to the fact that it is a non renewable resource.
In addition to that a lot of fertile lands are being used for housing development. before I go on about sending back all those upper islanders where they came from instead of making them comfortable in HDC houses here why not simply remove the fertile top soil & relocate it somewhere else where it can be utilized?

I also see the need for education of farmers. Too much use of primitive farming techniques in this day and age (planting in vertical columns along hill sides, slash & burn, inefficient irrigation systems etc).

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Besides the contribution to food crops farmers contribute no income tax, no VAT, no corporation tax, they paying much less than market rates for land (even after the current proposed increase) and they receive exemptions when purchasing vehicles.

All businessmen not just farmers have to deal with rising input costs. Other businesses actually have to pay taxes though.

do you know how much for chemicals these days? although they receive exemptions when purchasing vehicles,do you know how difficult it is to go to the ADB and get a loan..it is the WORSE...other businesses have the luxury of security systems for their trade,does a small farmer have anything to prevent men stealing his produce??

^^^

That!

There are stiffer penalties for a broken tail light than there is to deter bandits from stealing farmers produce.
Clearly we dont give a crap about agriculture or making a move to diversify the economy, all we sticking to is oil & gas & turning a blind eye to the fact that it is a non renewable resource.
In addition to that a lot of fertile lands are being used for housing development. before I go on about sending back all those upper islanders where they came from instead of making them comfortable in HDC houses here why not simply remove the fertile top soil & relocate it somewhere else where it can be utilized?

I also see the need for education of farmers. Too much use of primitive farming techniques in this day and age (planting in vertical columns along hill sides, slash & burn, inefficient irrigation systems etc).

that is so true eh..still doh see the reasoning behind it though...so they would rather build a house and have nothing to eat in the same house after..logical eh?

[nervewrecker]

Only in sweet trini you can move in & want to claim house and land (feel you entitled to it). Should they have remained in their own damn place we wont have to be constructing houses to put them in & occupy agricultural lands.
To expand a bit on my point on the education of the farmers:
I see people watering plants at the point where the stem enters the soil, do these people know that the plant takes up water at the tip of the root where the root hair thingies are? (yea, I kinda rusty on it). Thats where they should be watering. How to know where the root hairs are? Well the root spread is usually that of the leaf spread (same diameter). So water along the circumference of the leaf spread. Try to tell some of these old farmers that & you are doing so in vain because thats what they have been practicing their whole life. (even my folks kinda stubborn to get that point across to). They wasting water & im pretty sure the amount of water used is done so by guess.

[silent_riot]

I don't think the Agriculture Industry is taken seriously.
Food prices are one of the major drivers of inflation, i.e. it affects how much buying power you have in your wallet. It's also the core of self sustainability for a nation. Without it, other economies will own us.

But the industry isn't treated that way at all.

I also think that everyone still thinks that farming is a rural, backward occupation that you only must resort to doing if need be.

To be quite honest, I don't think any politician has this country's best interest at heart, because they have the power to fix all of this, but don't need to fix anything to earn another term in office because this country is full of idiots who are eligible to vote or run for office.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Agriculture should be made part of the school curriculum...not only in rural communities but in all.....they should start somewhere,make students aware that it is not a dying industry and it is something of great importance..Mr.Barath mentioned Agriculture in schools a while back,but I guess that was rum talk,cuz nuttin like dat ever happen..

[MonsterPower]

first of all the govt should expand on what the foreign food bill is spent on and what we need to concentrate on planting more here.
as well as there should be more processing and downstream markets for foodstuff... things like tomato ketchup from locally produced foodstuff... however farmers should be more educated and regulated so not just because tomato i s $10 a lb today they all rush to plant and then in a few weeks its $2 a lb because there is a glut

i think this govt is all talk and unless there is serious work done on both the govt side and the farmers side then they will always be crying foul .

[shake d livin wake d dead]

first of all the govt should expand on what the foreign food bill is spent on and what we need to concentrate on planting more here.
as well as there should be more processing and downstream markets for foodstuff... things like tomato ketchup from locally produced foodstuff... however farmers should be more educated and regulated so not just because tomato i s $10 a lb today they all rush to plant and then in a few weeks its $2 a lb because there is a glut

i think this govt is all talk and unless there is serious work done on both the govt side and the farmers side then they will always be crying foul .

this is how most farmers think,and there are simple solutions to that...for instance if you decide you wanna specialize in tomatoes and you have 5 acres of land..all you need to do is plant in stages...have about 3 acres of so prepared and waiting..u start one batch...and 4 wks into that once u start the other..U may not get the price you want from the first crop,but you won't loss either..but as it gets scarce..you know you have yuh back up..and ur ready to make the $$$$$..daz one simple solution...

Also any government could come into power and is the same sheit with the Agriculture industry..the last regime did nothing and the present is just following the past..

[MonsterPower]

dude aint that what is/was the role of namdevco ? to regulate the registered farmers on what they grow.
farmers imho are stupid in terms of they just plant to make a profit and end up with a glut in the market .. too much to type but if there is some sort of coorperative then it may work ... they will be able to control what /how much they plant ..
while i dont agree on the dependance of the govt i do agree that they should set up a commitee that go out and work with the farmers to plant crops in a way so as to ensure everyone wins

[shake d livin wake d dead]

help me to help you

[nervewrecker]

nice bump shakes.

I donno if it was mentioned before but what about education of farmers & upcoming farmers about their trade? There is a lot they can learn.
As simple as it may see irrigation is one. Crops use different amounts of water through the various stages of development (from when it is a shoot to when it is bearing) & not many seem to know this but you water the plant along the leaf spread rather than at where the stem enters the ground, the leaf spread is about that of the root spread & the root hairs are on the root tips take up the water. Depending on the soil type (field capacity, porosity etc) & humidity it may be smarter to water a few times a day than one or twice, this way water is saved & the plant always has water. Mulching done with grass cuttings & materials & stuff like that will contribute to increased organic matter in the soil & better crumb structure.
Mulching also preserves water in the soil & keeps the land covered so as to minimise erosion (wind & water).
Contor ploughing! Need I say more? Take a look around, how much of them plant vertically / in columns? When rain falls you have practically created small drains with little or no soil cover. Surface runoff now has increased erosive capabilities & not only take saway land cover (top soil wise) but puts a strain on drainage infrastructure but clogging drains & drcreasing the hydraulic radius of channels. The Government now has to use taxpayers $$$ to clear these channels & it also bites them self in the ass when river bursts its banks (the ones who in low lying areas). Contor ploughing also allows for some collection of water between the rows so irrigation can be neglected for that day saving time, effort & water. Should too much water be heaping up between rows the farmer must come out & break the barrier & allow water to flow out (a straight line down a hill is not smart idea, instead many breaks between many rows at various points allows for runoff & lower velocity).
Also, marketing! Plenty people have good stuff but is how you market it. If you have an exotic, something rare & you market that you sure to yiled a higher profit. We plant corn, I accustomed to eating meh lil boil corn. yesterday sis bring home some corn from tabaquite, she eventually revelaed its some venezulelan breed, man that effing thing lash like 40 banzai bullying 1 uml for lunch $$$. It different in not only the tase but its kinda sticky & the grains bigger & cobs longer (could barely fit in the pot). If that farmer market that properly, I know I man will buy & I sure people will be returning for more.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

true stuff^^ the program is a "youth out reach program" after working with some exchange students from Texas this week,they pointed us into a direction where we don't want to turn back...these guys really take agriculture seriously and it is time we in Trinidad start as well

Our first aim is to remove this nasty stigma attached to agriculture ; "is ah slave wuk wa i go do wid that" which is utter sheit...and sadly this was pointed out by those students after their research.

As for educating farmers we plan on having booths or meetings at key points through the country to pass on info...Afterwards we hope to get agro-shops more involved,as well as extension officers to help farmers,we also looking at ways for adopting new technology in agriculture..

So my question again: what are some of the things you all would like to see for the agriculture industry...because we cannot eat oil and (2) we cannot depend on foreign countries forever.as it is we already import 90% of our foods...why?

[nervewrecker]

Trinidad seems to be focused on developing the petrochemical sector & not the agri so as to stimulate inter-island trade with respect to agri products.

Has anyone ever considered utilising grit removed from the grit chambers in watsewater treatment plants for argiculture? A lot of it seems to be comprised of fertile materials that can be plugged back into the agricultural sector.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Trinidad seems to be focused on developing the petrochemical sector & not the agri so as to stimulate inter-island trade with respect to agri products.

Has anyone ever considered utilising grit removed from the grit chambers in watsewater treatment plants for argiculture? A lot of it seems to be comprised of fertile materials that can be plugged back into the agricultural sector.

trust the relevant authorities aint thinking that far ahead...Minister said he wants the import bill to be reduced by a significant amount by 2015....which in my view is about over zealous and cannot be done,because small issues are to be addressed first before embarking on such a venture.

[dread_2002]

I think for us to take this industry further and safeguard our food industry we should implement the following.

I think modern 21st Century Education is important for farmers to take the agricultural business to the next level in Trinidad
Show them the Proper machinery(tractors etc), fertilizers(PCS Ntirogen), pesticides and drainage facilities they can use and implement in their everyday schedule.
Education plays a huge vital role. Especially cause training might be harder for some farmers because who are lowly educated.

Identify Key crops that are driving our imports bill up.. That we can grow locally. provide incentives ,aids and assistance to farmers who are willing to start up are grow these products.

Or next level Hydrophonics/aerophonics

Implement facilities for regular citizens to grow vegetables at their home.
If everyone in trinidad grew vegetables home.. Imagine how much food we will all have. Serious talk here.
ANd it simple.Aeroponics is the 21st century update to the hyrdophonics.. its cheap and easy to implement. on a small scale..
i always believed if all my neighbours grew vegetables.. lawd my fridge we be fill all the time.. more money to spend on car..

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Trinidad seems to be focused on developing the petrochemical sector & not the agri so as to stimulate inter-island trade with respect to agri products.

Has anyone ever considered utilising grit removed from the grit chambers in watsewater treatment plants for argiculture? A lot of it seems to be comprised of fertile materials that can be plugged back into the agricultural sector.

trust me, the relevant authorities aint thinking that far ahead...Minister said he wants the import bill to be reduced by a significant amount by 2015....which in my view is about over zealous and cannot be done,because small issues are to be addressed first before embarking on such a venture.