Farmers coalition gives more details about concerns

Members of the National Coalition of Farmers say they are taking steps to find out for themselves more about the controversial Yuan Longping Chinese agriculture project.
This morning, members of the coalition assembled at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium and then went to the Green Castle Agricultural Station in Bendals.
Coordinator of the National Farmers Coalition, Fitzmorgan Greenaway spoke to OBSERVER media when we arrived at the station.

Greenaway says that the farmer’s main concern is information, the role which local farmers will play in the project, and the amount of land involved.
He says the information has been scanty, the benefits to the farmers are unclear to them, and the amount of land involved in the project is enormous.

Farmers received a copy of the agreement between the government and the Chinese company but they say it does not answer all their questions.
The project is a three-year venture between the China-based Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture Company and the government.
The Chinese company will send eight agricultural experts to work in Antigua for three years and the company will establish seven greenhouses; two for experimental demonstrations and five for commercial production in the Greencastle area.
Members of the coalition who were at the Greencastle station said they were not impressed by the seedling cultivation they saw.
They pointed out that some seedlings were not being cultivated in seedling trays as is the modern norm.

Members of the National Farmers Coalition.