By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources is restricting the importation of sweet peppers and table tomatoes into the country following a high output of the produce from Bahamian farms, the government announced yesterday.

According to a Bahamas Information Services (BIS) statement, Agriculture Director Gregory Rahming believes restricting such imports “will allow Bahamian surplus produce greater access to the retain market without the added competition of imported tomatoes and sweet peppers.”

In a taped interview sent to the media, Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Renward Wells said the quantity and quality of sweet peppers and tomatoes in the country is proof Bahamian farmers can meet demands for supplying Bahamians with food.

“It is such a wonderful time in our nation’s history,” Mr Wells said of the development, adding the price of such local produce will be better than that of foreign imports.

“The price point that is being offered for these two commodities is actually lower than what is being offered in the United States, substantially lower,” he said. “This goes a very long way to our efforts in this ministry to bring real security to the Bahamian people. The only thing we need to have now is consistency throughout the year so we no longer at any point in time have to import these items.

“The next challenge,” he said, “is for farmers to be able to produce these products in the quantities and at the same high quality year round. This would allow the government to consider the possibility of eliminating foreign grown tomatoes and sweet peppers altogether as a part of the push toward greater food security.”

Mr Wells suggested the government is eying opportunities like this for other items, saying: “We’re looking at a whole slew of other vegetables; we’ll be seeing how we diversify the Bahamian economy and bring more money to the pockets of farmers in this country.”