‘Massive increase’ in local fish and meats, says supermarket owner
One supermarket owner in the territory has confirmed a massive increase in the production and sale of local seafood and meat products in the territory since the start of the pandemic.
The owner and operator of Bobby’s Supermarket, Elton Leonard, said this is in keeping with Premier Andrew Fahie’s recent budget statement that the results of his government’s multimillion dollar stimulus grant to more than 400 farmers and fisherfolk “can be seen in our supermarkets”.
Speaking with BVI News on Monday, Leonard said: “In terms of food, we have seen an increase in green vegetables such as cucumber and spinach. As the Premier had also mentioned, we have seen a massive increase in local seafood and also meat products such as eggs.”
“The egg production locally has increased tremendously since the pandemic happened. Before COVID, there were one and two egg suppliers to the supermarket in the territory. However, there have been plenty more and sometimes we have to be refusing some local eggs because production has almost doubled,” he added.
Imported goods decrease
Leonard further said imported goods have decreased significantly since the beginning of the pandemic as markets across the world have reduced production because of the pandemic and its effects on food production globally.
While the supermarkets are seeing an increase in the local production of green vegetables, seafood and meat products, ground provision has a long way to go. BVI News visited the three major supermarkets in the territory — Bobby’s, OneMart and RiteWay — and noticed most of the provisions were imported.
Supply for local provisions
One attendant at RiteWay said there were low amounts of local provisions as the supply did not consistently meet the demands of the supermarket.
Over at OneMart, our news team observed the workers unboxing imported bananas and packing them on the shelf. Most of the produce there were imported and an attendant confirmed what Leonard had said about locally-grown green vegetables. He noted there was an increase in local vegetables such as cucumber in the supermarket.
Food security
Food security in the Virgin Islands has been an issue raised by many people in the last few months and the government has been implementing plans to tackle the issue.
Fahie had announced the allocation of $408,00 to the development of the East End Harbour Development to improve infrastructure for fishermen who operate out of the area.
There have also been plans for an agricultural certification course at the H Lavitty Stoutt Community College for farmers and any other interested persons starting this month.
Also, the Food Security and Sustainability Bill proposed by Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Dr Natalio Wheatley has been revised and is expected to be before parliament for a decision soon.
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Elton NEEDS TO CLEAN-UP IN FRONT OF THE STORE, WITH ALL THAT DIRTY WATER, AND I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING LETTING HIM BLOCK UP THE WALK WAY!
Doing the laundry
I am refused by the front outdoor location.
F or this c reason, I am a rare customer at t his location.
Considering it is in the heart of our Capital,is this an introduction to visitors demonstrating “who lives here”…granted most wont
be surprised and just what they expect but do we always have to conform to expectations of garbage and filth and then feign offense about racism?
Some of these food ain’t look like local at all. But wait…how long does certain red meat animals take before they are ready for slaughter?
What a crock of bulls**t. This had nothing to do with the government stimulus which went to mainly full time working people who know nothing about fishing or farming.
Glad to hear about food security getting better but as we increase seafood we must also increase tightening and enforcement of laws protecting us from over fishing. We already have big loss of fish numbers in the BVI compared to 30 years ago. Now we have a set of big people operating boats that carry hundreds and hundreds of fish pot and putting them where ever they want.Maybe it looks like we have plenty of fish in Bobby’s but underwater you’ll see they are just raping one piece of reef and moving on to the next.
This will not last without positive action to protect our waters!
The Food Bill is a good idea but stuffed full of all sorts of irrelevant sections, especially one relating solely to dogs with provisions which are outright cruelty. It needs to be streamlined with a purpose relating only to livestock, agriculture and fisheries for it to be a good, fair and enforceable act
The bag of carrots country source – states product of Canada. That is a new definition of local…Hmmm!
Eat local produce to the degree can, eat what’s in season plant base matter and save on your grocery bill and health care costs. Our teeth is different from carnivorous animals, we are not made to consume that red meat that is close to human flesh.
It’s now “breaking news” that most of BVI’s goods are imported?
Some of those items like carrots will continue to be imported we don’t have the right soil for nothing but baby carrots. Cucumbers & eggplants on the other hand grow well in the heat & rocky soil.
Bananas as a territory we can do better. Every house building apartment should have a couple bananas and plantain in the ground.
Citrus such as limes and lemons also are a traditionally successful crop and those mfers are going for 30 cent a piece in the supermarket. Passion fruit another easy plant that doesn’t do well up north but grows good here and is native to an extent.
Cactus is another food source. If we want to grow local we have to change what we eat and desire to grow. No sense planting apples and peach or rice. Guava and cassava we have to want for ourselves.
& leave the yard fowls alone people instead of poisoning them out. It’s those same fowl we may end up coveting for food or looking to get a couple to keep for brown eggs when the supply chain ships stop coming to stock up those white eggs we’ve become accustomed to.
And should we take your advice sir or madam, the bvi would have slender happy people with beautiful hair, skin and nails. All from eating local and not that stale poisonous enzyme deleted old shipped in steroid rich food.