St Kitts and Nevis targets 25% import cut by year end: Minister Duggins

St Kitts and Nevis: Minister of Sports Samal Duggins in a recent interview with Nykole Tyson on ‘I’m making it happen’ discusses St Kitts and Nevis’ goal to reduce produce imports by 25 percent by the end of 2025 and its efforts to supply fresh produce to the wider Caribbean.  

During the interview, Minister Duggins shares insights into the Federations’ strategies for boosting local agriculture and contributing to food security across the region.  

“From boosting local production to expanding regional trade, we are driving real change,” he said adding that it was agriculture that built most societies and most great nations across the world. 

Talking about the major achievements, he said that last year, he got the chance to visit the Tabasco company in Louisiana and he felt inspired by what he saw there and wanted to ensure that the sector here in St Kitts and Nevis could create an avenue to have a sure and steady export market.  

The Minister said that he was soon able to do negotiations with the company and they agreed for St Kitts and Nevis to actually grow to supply for Tabasco. “We launched that project recently and the Prime Minister and I had a ceremony, and we planted the first set of seeds for that project, and we are looking forward to yielding the fruits of that project and being able to set up a steady and secured export market for hot peppers.” 

He further talked about the changes which took place since he assumed the office as the Minister of Sports in August 2022. Duggins noted that with this new administration, there has been significant improvement in the agriculture industry.  

He emphasised that his whole campaign was to transform the agricultural sector into a viable sector that will position St Kitts and Nevis as ‘food mecca’ of the northern part of the Caribbean.  

The agriculture minister further talked about the 25 by 25 agenda and said that it was really CARICOM’s vision to reduce food import across the Caribbean Community by 25% by the year 2025 and he expressed his belief in the fact that the administration was able to put a solid plan together to achieve this by a significant extent.  

He also recalled Guyana President Irfaan Ali’s statement ‘CARICOM reached 70% reduction rate in its 25% by 2025 food initiative’. 

The Minister reiterated his commitment towards achieving more in this particular sector and also to encourage the youth to participate and join this thriving field.