The Minister of Agro-Industry, Maneesh Gobin, met on Wednesday with potato farmers in La Marie. He said that if he had visited the region last year for the potato harvest. This year, the circumstances are different, because the country was copiously watered last April. The purpose of the visit was also to listen to the grievances of the farmers whose fields have been affected by the recent excessive rainfall.
At that time, the planters of the region had already planted the potato seeds. But the heavy rains destroyed all the seeds and they had to replant them. He said he had received correspondence from the Agricultural Development and Marketing Association regarding the delivery of seed for the second planting season. Regarding a request for a building, he said he will conduct a site visit to a building owned by the Ministry of Agribusiness that is not currently being used.
If that building is not suitable, then he will apply to the Department of Housing for a building. He stressed that it is the duty of the Ministry of Agribusiness to support successful associations such as the Agricultural Development and Marketing Association.
As a reminder, ADMA has about 60 members who cultivate about 450 acres of land and produce about 12,000 tons of vegetables per year. ADMA became a member of the Mauritius Chamber of Agriculture in 2010.
