By Kisean Joseph & Tahna Weston
[email protected] /[email protected]
The Ministry of Agriculture is intensifying its warnings to consumers about the dangers of purchasing produce from unauthorised vendors, as the nation grapples with an increase in praedial larceny.
Carol-Faye Bynoe-George, head of the Communications Unit within the Ministry of Agriculture, emphasises the serious risks associated with buying produce from unknown sources.
“We should stop supporting people that are going onto the farmers property, reaping their crops and selling them for a low price,” she warns, highlighting both the economic impact on legitimate farmers and potential health risks to consumers.
The concern extends beyond mere theft to public health issues. Bynoe-George explains the potentially dangerous consequences of consuming stolen produce. “We have no idea what these produce went through. They could have been sprayed the day before, so we can be bringing harm to ourselves.”
The ministry’s warning comes at a crucial time when agricultural theft is reportedly on the rise across the twin-island nation.
This form of criminal activity not only affects farmers’ livelihoods, but also poses significant risks to public health, as stolen produce may be harvested prematurely or shortly after the application of pesticides, making it unsafe for consumption.
To combat this growing issue, the Ministry of Agriculture has launched a comprehensive registration programme for both livestock and produce farmers throughout Antigua and Barbuda. This initiative aims to create a formal database of legitimate agricultural producers, making it easier for consumers to identify authorized vendors and reducing the market for stolen produce.
Bynoe-George calls for community vigilance and cooperation in addressing this issue. “We have to be our brothers’ [keeper],” she said, encouraging residents to be proactive in reporting suspicious activities. “We should try and report it because they never know,” she added, emphasising the importance of community involvement in curbing agricultural theft.
The ministry’s approach combines public education with practical measures to address the problem. By urging consumers to question the source of their produce and encouraging them to purchase only from known farmers, officials hope to reduce the economic incentive for praedial larceny.
