Dominica: HIGHER QUALITY POTATO SEEDS NOW ON ISLAND

Even greater news, the seeds are of a higher quality than last year’s and farmers can expect more seeds per bag at the same price.

Agricultural Coordinator in Jamaica, Alvin Murray has been on island imparting knowledge to farmers on the technology and science of getting a good crop. He says Jamaican farmers have experienced great success.

Murray indicates that these better quality seeds are a Christmas gift from Government of Dominica to Dominican farmers.

“Our mission is to see how much we can learn and help the potato industry here so the first move is to watch potatoes grow this year and then to ensure better quality.

“Marketing is big. We have always imported blue tag with Class A seed certification and sizes between 35-55mm to this country. PROPEL and the Ministry of Agriculture have agreed to now bring in one class higher- Elite seeds which are smaller so we don’t have to cut them.”

Murray says this means production costs will decrease while the yield increases.

”The Government has agreed to make these seeds available to the farmers at the same price as the previous ones so it’s bonanza for the farmers this Christmas. They will be planting up to three times more with the same production costs as before.”

He says these higher quality seeds also give farmers the opportunity to retain 10-15% of the seeds for replanting.  Murray says using this method in Jamaica has allowed farmers to produce all the potatoes needed locally.

Head of the Extension Department, Felix Leslie says this can be done here in Dominica as well.  The Ministry of Agriculture liaises with the Ministry of Trade to increase the tariff on imported white potatoes to encourage local businesses to buy from local farmers.

Leslie said that last year, Dominican potato farmers fell short in supplying the local market. So there is room for more farmers to produce.

“We would like to see an umbrella organization for the potato sector so that farmers can come together for a sector which people can depend on. It’s a short term crop- within 90 days you have a harvest. So we think it’s a crop with a lot of potential; a lot can be done.”

Leslie says he can see potatoes becoming a major player in the agriculture sector.

It is expected that farmers will yield twice the amount of the crop this year.