The Extension Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and LongPing High-Tech Agriculture Company, an agricultural entity based in the People’s Republic of China, have marked a milestone in agricultural development with the successful cultivation trial of broccoli.
The trial conducted at the Greencastle Agricultural Station demonstrated the successful adaptation of Chinese broccoli varieties to local growing conditions.
According to the LongPing team, since its commencement on November 28, the crop has shown promising development, with the first harvest anticipated in early January and a second batch to be harvested a few weeks later.
At the site visit, agriculture officials, including Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Walter Christopher and Director of Agriculture, Gregory Bailey were given insight into the cultivation techniques used by the LongPing farmers, including the type of pesticides and other technical details relating to the crop’s growth.
Observer media learned that approximately 800 broccoli plants were being prepared at the Greencastle Agricultural Station trial site.
The Director of Agriculture emphasized the economic significance of this achievement.
“The business of agriculture requires economic analysis of production relationships and principles of rational decision-making,” Bailey stated.
He noted that non-traditional crops like broccoli present tremendous economic potential, given that almost 100 percent is currently imported from overseas.
The initiative has gained further momentum with the establishment of a technical committee by the Ministry of Agriculture, according to Permanent Secretary Walter Christopher.
This committee will oversee future collaborations, with a particular focus on developing non-traditional vegetables including broccoli and cauliflower.
Christopher outlined an ambitious vision for the agricultural sector, targeting a contribution of five percent to the country’s GDP within the next three to five years.
“Through shared experiences, farmers will learn and adopt techniques faster while improving our agricultural productivity and sustainability,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of collaborative approaches in achieving these targets.
The partnership between the Ministry and LongPing High-Tech was further strengthened with the donation of agricultural equipment.
Three tiller machines were presented to the agricultural stations at Greencastle, Christian Valley and Cades Bay, while two additional units were allocated to the Ministry’s Extension Division.
Ministry officials hope to see the broccoli crops replicated in the future on other farms across the island.
