The 2008 Agricultural Digest - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural ...

Minister’s Foreword 1Editorial Note 2Overview of The Agricultural Sector 2008 3Rethinking The Role of The Agricultural Sector 4-14“Challenges Of The 21st Century” – By Rommell Hippolyte,Economist (Ministry Of Agriculture)Outlook for 2009 15CONTENTSThe Barbados Sugar Industry 16Trade Statistics 16Figure 1: Barbados Raw Sugar Exports 2003-2008 16The Barbados Cotton Industry 16Table 1 - Cotton Statistics 16The Barbados Food Crop Sector 17Livestock and Dairy Sectors 17Fisheries Sector 18Table 2- Fish Landings By Type (Tonnes) 2003-2008 18Food Trade 19Table 3-Barbados’s Agricultural Food Bill (2007 And 2008) 19Rainfall In 2008 20Figure 2: Barbados Rainfall By Month (2007 And 2008) 20Figure 3: Rainfall By Parish In Barbados (2007 And 2008) 20Agriculture Upclose 21Statistical Appendix 22-27Table 1 – Production Of Selected Agricultural Commodities 22Table 2 – Average Wholesale Produce Prices For 2008 23Table 3 – Average Retail Produce Prices For 2008 24Table 4 – Import Data For Selected Fresh Agricultural Commodities (Kgs) 25Table 5 – Total Export Data For Selected Fresh Agricultural Commodities (Kgs) 26Table 6 – Monthly Rainfall Data By Parish For 2008 (Millimeters) 27

MINISTER’SFOREWORDSenator, The Honourable Haynesley BennMinister of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentOver the past decade there has been a dearth of agricultural information in Barbados. A call hasbeen made from many quarters for there to be more consistent information available on whichwell-informed decisions can be made to address the various issues that confront the sector.Formerly, agricultural information could have been sourced through the Barbados MarketingCorporation’s BASIS Reports, with production data being made available through the annualpublication AGRIVIEW that was produced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.These publications were of great support to farmers providingthem with pertinent information, including the latest trendsin production, trade, prices and credit to the sector.This information went a long way in assisting the farmingcommunity with its planning, helping it not only to betterunderstand the changes occurring within the sector, butalso assisting the more industrious with capitalising on anyopportunities that may have been presented in thedomestic market. However, the production of these publicationsceased with the last volume of AGRIVIEW being produced andpublished in 1998.It is therefore a great honour and indeed a pleasure for meas the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development tointroduce to you the “Agricultural Digest”, the newest agriculturalpublication created by the Ministry to fill the voidthat was left by the defunct AGRIVIEW publication. I amsure that the launch of this publication, will address theinformation void by catering to the range of information needsof the Barbadian public, whether local farmers, individualsdesirous of undertaking research, or those merely interestedin developments related to the domestic sector. Unlike previouspublications, the Agricultural Digest provides not only datapresented in the form of tables, but also seeks to assist with theanalysis of data through the presentation of well constructeddiagrams and informative text.One addition that I am very pleased to note is the inclusionof a topical research article. This year’s Volume of the Publicationprovides a most interesting and appropriate research articleon rethinking the role of agriculture in the country’s economicgrowth and development. This article suggests that given emergingnational trends such as rising food prices and increased foodimports, the importance of local agriculture to the economyof Barbados must be revisited.I trust that this article will stimulate the reader to re-think the roleof the agricultural sector in Barbados and will invoke nationaldiscussions on how we as a nation can reposition the sectorso that it fulfils its mandate not only of food security,but also of poverty alleviation.I wish to take this opportunity to extend my sincere appreciation tothe staff of the Agricultural Planning Unit for taking the initiative toproduce such a well-designed and informative publication.Volume 1Agricultural Digest | 20081

EDITORIAL NOTEThe Agricultural Digest is the Ministry of Agriculture’s journal of annual statistical data. This publicationreplaces the previously produced “Agriview”, which was last issued in 1998.Prepared and published by the Agricultural Planning Unit of theMinistry of Agriculture, this publication provides data and someanalysis on the performance of the various sub-sectors during thepreceding year, as well statistics on agricultural trade and rainfall.An interesting addition to this new publication is the Up-Closesection, which highlights the views of a member of the farmingcommunity on developments within the agricultural sector, aswell as their related accomplishments.This publication responds to the numerous requests received bythe Ministry on a daily basis for agricultural statistics. We in theMinistry thank you for your patience and understanding while wesought to improve our statistical system and the quality of servicewe provide to our stakeholders.We will continuously strive to respond to the needs of the farmingcommunity and remain committed to providing relevant andup-to-date information, which is so necessary to assist us in ourplanning and decision-making.Our appreciation is extended to all those persons who providedus with the statistical information required to facilitatethe preparation of this journal, as well as to all of those who in anyway contributed to the preparation of this Agricultural Digest.2Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

OVERVIEW OF THEAGRICULTURAL SECTOR 2008During 2008, the agricultural sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product was 2.8 percent 1 .The Ministry of Agriculture had anticipated an improved performance from over the previous year.It was expected that the farming community would have intensified its production efforts in order tocapitalise on the persistent trend of rising agricultural prices in the domestic market. Instead, the first halfof the year saw the sector being severely hampered by the root causes which were associated withglobal price increases of key agricultural commodities namely oil, fuel and corn. The increase in oiland fuel prices directly impacted some of the larger-scaled farming operations in Barbados which areenergy intensive. The increased price of corn, which is a major input in the production of livestock feed,resulted in a hike in the cost of producing local meats.Demand for agricultural produce on Barbados during the reviewperiod, suffered some fall-off on the demand for locally producedcommodities. Consumers seemed to be more vigilant oftheir reduced purchasing power in the face of economy-widerising prices. The reduced demand for local agricultural produce,coupled with the increased cost of production of all domesticagricultural endeavours in Barbados, consequently resultedin the departure of some of the smaller farmers from theirrespective industries as they were unable to remain competitive.Throughout the latter part of 2008 the international pricesof fuel, oil and corn had changed their trajectory and hadregistered consistent declines. However, the pass-througheffect of these changes on domestic prices was notrevealed in Barbados. This was especially evident forlocally produced fresh meats, as the price of livestock feedremained relatively high. Additionally, a significant reductionin the prices of goods which were heavily imported into the countrywas not realised. Moreover, the reverse price trends for oil, fueland corn did not result in a rebound in agricultural activityduring the latter half of the review period to counteract the productiondeclines of the earlier part of 2008.Adverse weather conditions during the latter part of theyear also contributed greatly to the short-falls in agriculturalproduction which was recorded for the year. Heavy rainfall,especially during the months of August and Septemberresulted in some crop farmers being unable to harvest theirproduce, leading to significant crop losses. On the otherhand, it was reported that during the periods of intenseheat the livestock sector, and particularly poultry whichare very sensitive to changes in climatic conditions, wereseverely impacted. The Ministry also observed a significantreduction in agricultural activity in traditional agriculturalareas such as Marchfield, Haggatt Hall, Kirtons andHeddings. On the other hand, Fairview a generally active arealocated in one of the BADMC irrigated districts, did not registerany agricultural activity at all. It can therefore be seen that acombination of the volatility of the international prices of oil, fueland corn, low production activity, and adverse weather patternsespecially in the latter part of 2008, all contributed to adecline in the total national agricultural production for thereview period.However, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developmentacknowledges some positive aspects of production duringthe review period. This includes the significant increase in fishlandings in Barbados over the previous year’s catch, as well as therebounding of the local mutton and veal industries which alsoregistered significant output increases.1.Current GDP at Factor CostVolume 1Agricultural Digest | 20083

FEATURED COLUMNISTRommell HippolyteEconomist(Ministry of Agriculture)RETHINKING THE ROLE OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR – “Challenges of the 21st Century”I. INTRODUCTIONOver the past five decades, successive Government administrations of Barbados have sought toachieve economic growth and development for the country. Macroeconomic policy actions havetherefore been geared mainly towards the achievement of structural change in the local economy,resulting in a shift away from agricultural production, to a high reliance on tourism and financialservices (see Howard, 2006).As a strong advocate for the maintenance of a vibrant localagricultural industry, the Ministry of Agriculture of Barbadoshas made a firm commitment to ensuring that the countrynot only becomes food secure, but also attains sovereigntyover its food needs. This has required the development andimplementation of policies geared towards increasing nationalagricultural production, as well as policies that address issuesof quality and consistency of the national food supply. In essence,the Ministry’s policies will have to mitigate the negative impactthat structural change has had on the agriculture industry.Further, the Ministry of Agriculture will also have to convince policymakers in Barbados to rethink the role and relevance of the localagricultural industry, particularly if the country is to continue on asustainable path of economic growth and development.The objective of this paper is to present some of the prevailingliterature relating to the role of the agriculture industry oneconomic growth and development. In doing so, the potentialscope of the agriculture sector for the overall economicgrowth and development of Barbados should be revealed.The paper will also assess, although not in great detail, theprocess of structural change in Barbados and its impact onagricultural output over the past fifty years. Also highlightedare two current macroeconomic issues that, if left unchecked,could have a serious impact on the country’s overalldevelopmental objectives.The remainder of the paper is therefore organised as follows:Section 2 provides a review of the literature on agriculture andits role in economic development; Section 3 presents a briefreview of the performance of the agriculture industry over thepast 50 years and its policy framework; Section 4 highlightsthe two agricultural issues with macroeconomic consequencesfor Barbados; Section 5 presents some recommendations basedon an examination of the country’s agricultural policy framework;and Section 6 concludes.4Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

II. LITERATURE REVIEW ON AGRICULTUREAND ITS ROLE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTStructural change can be referred to as the long-term changein the fundamental structure of an economy throughout itsdevelopmental experience. Classical economists such asFisher (1939), Clark (1940), and Chenery and Syrquin (1975),highlighted the positive relationship between structural changeand economic growth. For these economists, structuralchange referred to production shifting from the primary(agriculture, fishing, forestry, and mining) to the secondary(manufacturing and construction) and finally the tertiaryindustry (services).Kuznets (1961, 1971) in his empirical analysis of the theoryof economic growth, disaggregated the economy into theclassifications of agriculture, industry and services. He foundan association between growth of per capita income and ashift in production structure (structural change). According to him,the relationship was established due to the combined effect ofchanges in the (i) structure of consumer demand, (ii) comparativeadvantage and (iii) technology (Nayak and Mishra, 2009).Developmental economics was also highly influenced byLewis (1954). Lewis (1954) sought to explain the dynamics of howstructural transformation from an agricultural-based economyto a more industrial system would result in economic growthand development. Essentially, Lewis (1954) argued that theeconomy was dualistic, that is, divided into the traditional andcapitalist sectors.His theory highlighted the fact that the traditional sectorexhibited low productivity, low technology, and those whoresided in rural areas produced most of what they consumed.However, the capitalist sector was profit-oriented, morecapital intensive, exhibited high productivity, was technologicallydriven and paid higher wages than the traditionalsector. According to Eicher and Staatz (1998), the relative neglectof the agricultural industry during the 1950s was furtherexacerbated by the two independent theses of Raul Prebischand Hans Singer in 1949, and Hirschman in 1958. Prebisch andSinger both argued that over time, the terms of trade would beagainst those countries that exported primary products andimported manufactured ones. Hirschman (1958) on the otherhand introduced the concept of linkages as a tool for investing.He suggested that investing in one type of activity inducesinvestment in other income-generating activities. Accordingto Hirschman (1958), investment in industry would generallylead to a more rapid and broad-based economic growth thaninvestment in agriculture would.These aforementioned classical theories that placed agriculturein a secondary role essentially overshadowed the works ofother economists who attempted to illustrate the industry ina positive light. Kuznets (1961) was one of these economiststhat acknowledged the positive contributions of the agriculturalindustry to economic growth, in such areas as product, marketand factor development in the economy.Johnston and Mellor (1961) also supported Kuznets (1961)by arguing that agriculture could play a far from passive roleby making five important contributions in the growth anddevelopment of developing economies. These contributionsinclude: increasing national food supplies; providing labourfor other industries; capital formation; the earning of foreignexchange; and the stimulation of industrialisation throughincreased rural net cash income.Volume 1Agricultural Digest | 20085

Johnson (1997) suggested that throughout the course ofhistory not only did farmers contribute to the economic wealthof nations, but also those persons who engaged in otheraspects of agriculture such as: the invention and productionof farm machinery; the discovery of the nutritional requirementsof plants; and those who increasingly integrated farming intothe rest of the economy. Johnson (1997) also indicated thatthe Industrial Revolution was made possible by two significantagricultural improvements: rapid increases in labour productivityand simultaneous increases in food production to providefor growing populations. With regards to the former argument,Johnson (1997) concurred with Ester Boserup (1965) thatthroughout most of recorded history, labour was the scarcestfactor of production in agriculture and therefore agriculturalprogress resulted from developing ways to save labour.According to Johnson (1997), increases in labour productivityand output subsequently contributed to low food prices.This argument is particularly important since according to the FAO(2006), the number of undernourished persons in the developingworld actually increased from 823 million in 1990 to 830 millionin 2004. Ahmed et al (2007) also suggested that those persons inthe world living below US $1 per day were estimated at about 160million, some of whom live on less than US $0.50 cents per day.The agriculture industry is therefore thought to be able to improvethe livelihoods of people at the bottom of the income scale.to economy-wide social and economic policies. The authorsuggested that the expansion of agricultural production throughtecnological changeand trade creates important demands forthe ouzputs of other industries, notablyfertilizers, transportation,commercial services and construction.More recently, Pingali and Stringer (2004) argued thatimproving agricultural performance generates income in bothrural and urban areas. As incomes increase, households savemore and spend more, stimulating growth and investment in otherindustries (Pingali and Stringer, 2004). Additionally, agricultureprovides tax revenues and supplies a wide range of raw materialsto agriculturally-based local manufacturers.From the above literature, it can be seen that the traditionaleconomists such as Lewis (1954) had an impressionof economic growth being synonymous with economicdevelopment (see Girvan, 2005). In fact, the argumentsthat rendered the role of agriculture as being secondaryin the development process, do not consider such elementsof economic development as quality of life, or the nutrition ofthe population. These issues are considered within the morecontemporary literature.Timmer (1998) contended that the importance of theagriculture industry in the economies of the developing countriesis reflected in the association between the growth of agricultureand of the economy as a whole. By examining countrieswhere the agricultural share of GDP was greater than 20percent in 1970, Timmer (1998) highlighted that agricultural growthin the 1970s exceeded 3 percent a year in 17 of the 23countries whose GDP growth was above 5 percent a year.He also pointed out that during the same period, 11 of the17 countries with GDP growth below 3 percent a yearmanaged agricultural growth of only 1 percent or less.Timmer (1998) also suggested that the parallels betweenagricultural and GDP growth, implied that the factors thataffected agricultural performance may therefore be linked6Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

III. AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY IN BARBADOSAgriculture Industry Performanceand the Barbados EconomyDownes (2001) highlighted that Barbados’ medium-term plansfor the periods 1952-1957 and 1955-1960, incorporated the initialsigns of the Government of the country’s intent on creating a morediversified economy, through the promotion of the manufacturingand tourism industries and a lesser reliance on the sugar industry.Downes (2001) also indicated that these national strategies wereconsistent with the approaches articulated by Lewis (1954)that mapped out the necessary strategic direction for regionaleconomic development.Using national accounts data, Howard (2006) investigatedthe changes in the compositional structure of the Barbadoseconomy throughout the years of 1955 to 2000. Patternsof structural change were identified by categorising thecountry’s economic industries into primary (agriculture andmining), secondary (manufacturing) and tertiary (services)industries, and analysing their respective contributions tonominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the review period.From his examination of the movement of the broadly definedindustries, Howard (2006) concluded that over the past fivedecades the Barbados economy observed a persistent shiftaway from primary production and has become moreservices-oriented.While Howard’s (2006) analysis may be criticised for his use ofnominal GDP and proportional statistics to observe the transitionof the Barbados economy over the past five decades, the dearthof real GDP statistics for Barbados from as far back as the 1950snecessitates this approach. Howard’s (2006) examination also allowsus the opportunity to take a wider glance at the economicstructure of the Barbados economy.Table 1 presents an adaptation of the industrial distributionof GDP for Barbados from Howard’s (2006) analysis, with theinclusion of 2007 data that was garnered from the BarbadosEconomic and Social Report 2007. An examination of thedata shows that over the past fifty years, the contributionof the agriculture industry to GDP has continued on a downwardtrajectory. During 2007, the agriculture industry wasestimated to have contributed approximately 2.9 percentof the country’s nominal GDP. This represents a significantdecline from the 35.2 percent the industry had contributedto GDP during 1955. On the other hand, the contributionof the services industry to GDP over the comparative periodhad doubled from 45 percent in 1955 to 90.2 percent in 2007.In addition, over the review period, the manufacturing orsecondary industry also displayed a steady decline from the19.8 percent which it contributed to GDP during 1955, to acontribution of 6.2 percent during 2007. This decline in theperformance of the manufacturing industry may support Timmer’s(1998) argument that the manufacturing industry is usuallydependent on improvements in the agriculture industry. Therefore,countries that have a stagnant agriculture industry often showno industrial development.Craigwell et al (2008) also investigated the inter-relationships amongthe agriculture, industry and services industries in Barbados overtwo distinct time periods over the past five decades (1946-1969and 1970 to 2003). The aim of the study was to shed some lighton whether changes in the output in one industry impacted on theothers. The authors suggested that the results of the analysis couldbe used by policy makers to better understand the sectors thatprincipally drive economic growth in Barbados.Volume 1Agricultural Digest | 20087

Using time series cointegration, it was discovered that industriallinkages with agriculture had faded over time. Where in the firstperiod (1946-1969) the output of the agriculture industry wasdetermined by the output of the industry and service sectors,during the second period (1970-2003) agriculture was notfound to be part of the cointegrating system. The results fromthe latter period suggested that in the past three decadesagriculture had little or no linkages with the industrial andservices sectors. The findings of Craigwell et al (2008) thereforesuggest that the industrial linkages that facilitated growth in theagriculture industry must be re-established and the constraintsthat hindered its growth must be addressed in order to seeit flourish.Irrespective of its total decline in output over the past fivedecades, it must be noted that the agriculture industry stillremains a valuable source of economic output, employmentand foreign exchange for Barbados. During 1998 to 2008, thecountry’s receipts from the exports of primary and secondaryagriculture products averaged BDS $152.9 million per year.For the corresponding ten-year period, on average 5,100persons were directly employed by the agriculture industryeach year. Additionally, the poultry and pig industries have both beenexhibiting steady growth over the past five years, with theformer industry boasting near self-sufficiency.Table 1 | Industrial Distribution of Nominal GDP (Selected Years; Percent)Industry 1955 1960 1970 1980 1986 1990 2000 2007Sugar 23.4 21.3 9.9 6.4 2.8 2.0 1.5 0.6Other Agriculture 11.8 6.8 4.8 3.4 3.6 3.4 3.0 2.3Mining - - - 0.8 1.3 0.7 0.7 0.8Total Primary 35.2 28.1 14.7 10.6 7.7 6.1 5.2 3.7Manufacturing/SecondaryTransport & PublicServices19.8 8.3 10.1 10.9 9.8 8.0 6.3 6.26.2 5.7 7.6 7.5 12.3 11.3 13.6 17.2Construction 7.3 9.8 10.1 7.2 5.6 6.5 5.8 6.3Distribution 10.6 23.0 26.0 21.8 20.9 20.0 17.6 16.3Tourism - - - 12.0 10.0 11.4 11.3 13.7Other Services 12.2 15.3 15.9 15.1 17.4 18.2 22.7 19.4Government Services 8.7 9.8 15.6 14.9 16.3 18.5 17.5 17.2Total Services/Tertiary45.0 63.6 75.2 78.5 82.5 85.9 88.5 90.1Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0Source: Howard (2006) and the Barbados Economic and Social Report 20078Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

V. POLICY OR STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONSAn assessment of the agricultural policies that the Governmentof Barbados has implemented thus far, suggests that thesepolicies are comprehensive in their extent. However, this sectionpresents some additional policy options that should be consideredif the agriculture industry is to realise sustainable growth anddevelopment. These include:1. Youth Participation in Agriculture – In its attempt to increaseyouth participation in agriculture over the years, the Ministryof Agriculture has taken the narrow approach of developingprogrammes that are limited to training individuals in the useof newer technologies such as greenhouses and hydroponics.This author suggests that attempts should also be made toengage young persons who are conducting scientific research at theUniversity of the West Indies and the Barbados CommunityCollege to develop new technologies. Additionally, there is scopefor the development of higher yielding cultivars of food crops bylocal scientists that could advance the food security objectivesof the island. These initiatives could be attained if the Ministrydevelops partnerships with the local University and College,where a reward system could be implemented in an effort tomotivate young local scientists to focus on the developmentof the agriculture industry.even possibly the importance of back-yard farming. Regarding thelatter point, research could be undertaken by the Ministry to showthe positive impact of back-yard farming on household budgetsand nutrition, and the outputs of these studies disseminated to thepublic and especially the urban communities.3. Greater Collaboration between the Ministries ofAgriculture, Industry and Services – As stated earlier, Craigwellet al (2008) recommended that agriculture needed to form greaterlinkages with the other economic industries in order to promote itsown growth as well as national output. In this regard, this authorsuggests that a national committee could be establishedconsisting of stakeholders of the various economic industries,to assess possible backward and forward linkages with theagriculture industry. The committee would then be responsiblefor the development of a strategic plan that highlights theseformal linkages to be considered by the various Ministriesof Agriculture, Industry and those that are services-oriented.The committee may also be responsible for the developmentof policy papers highlighting areas for farmer-manufactureralliances, new product development and farmer-hotel partnerships,to mention a few examples.2. Promotion of Food Security at the Household level – Inorder for food security to be fully realised households musthave adequate access to nutritious food. To date, the Ministryof Agriculture has been developing policies directed at boostingagricultural production within the agricultural community only.The Ministry of Agriculture needs to develop policies directly aimedat the urban communities as well. It is therefore suggested thatthe Ministry should develop programmes to educate the urbancommunities about household food security, food nutrition and12Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

VI. CONCLUSIONOver the past five decades, successive Government administrationsof Barbados have developed and implemented policies to inducestructural change in the country’s economy. These policy actionsresulted in the role of the local agriculture industry in theeconomic growth and development of the country beingdiminished over the 50-year period.This author contends that agriculture could play an integral role inthe current economic and developmental objectives of Barbados.Kuznets (1961) acknowledged the positive contributions of theagriculture industry to economic growth over the years in suchareas as product, market and factor development in the economy.Additionally, it has been argued that agriculture could makeimportant contributions in the growth and development ofdeveloping economies by: providing labour for other industries;capital formation; earning of foreign exchange; stimulatingindustrialisation; providing tax revenues; and improving thelivelihoods of the impoverished.It is noted however that although the policies that have beendeveloped to increase production thus far by the Ministryof Agriculture are comprehensive in their extent, additional policyactions could be considered in order to enhance the relevanceof the agriculture industry in Barbados. These policy actionsinclude: the broadening of the approach to youth participationin agriculture in the country in order to exploit the tacitknowledge of the local scientific community; the establishmentof formal linkages between agriculture and other economicindustries in Barbados to address the issue of rising imports;and the promotion of food security within urban communitiesthrough research and educational programmes.The aforementioned positive roles of agriculture are especiallysignificant as Barbados is currently challenged with two issuesthat could have serious macroeconomic implications for thecountry. These issues are rising global and domestic food prices,and increasing levels of food imports. While rising food pricesmay have an adverse effect on the most vulnerable personsin Barbados’ society, increased food imports leaves the countryexposed to international shocks and places a burden on thecountry’s international foreign reserves. Johnson (2007) indicatedthat increased agricultural productivity can result in lower foodprices, while Johnston and Mellor (1961) suggested that increasedproduction can reduce the dependency on foreign imports by increasingnational food supplies.Volume 1Agricultural Digest | 200813

OUTLOOK FOR 2009The economic outlook for 2009 clearly suggests continued pressure on the world’s “real” economyas a result of the global financial crisis. It is heavily anticipated that, with the economic down-turnand the lack of financial resources which are necessary for the continued development in the worldagricultural sector, local output may prove to be volatile.For Barbados, the financial crisis also impacts negatively oninvestment into the local agricultural sector; however, the sustainedhigh prices of agricultural prices may be a greater contributingfactor to declines of commercial agricultural production. It is anticipatedthat subsistence and informal agricultural production willincrease. It must be noted that, although the Ministry of Agricultureand Rural Development welcomes increased agriculturalproduction of all forms, increased informal production presentsseveral food safety concerns. During the coming year theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development will therefore continueto provide the enabling environment which will facilitate growthwithin the agricultural sector.The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will beundertaking initiatives which are expected to realise increasedagricultural production in urban and peri-urban areas-Such initiatives are expected to safeguard these vulnerablesegments of the population, as well as contain rising povertylevels in the country. Additionally, prgrams will also be implementedto educate Barbadians on the need to exercise goodhealth and food preparation practices in an attempt to ensuregeneral public safety in the face of any increased informalagricultural production.Volume 1Agricultural Digest | 200815

THE BARBADOSSUGAR INDUSTRYThe Barbados sugarcane harvest for 2007/2008was 310.7 thousand tonnes, reflecting adecrease of approximately 12 per cent from theprevious year’s sugarcane crop. The total areaharvested also registered a 6 per cent declinewhich is estimated at 5.9 thousand hectares ascompared with the 6.3 thousand hectaresharvested during the 2006/2007 season.The aforementioned decrease in the total amount of sugarcanedelivered to the Andrews and Portvale factories, impactednegatively on the country’s total sugar and molassesproduction.Sugar production was recorded at approximately 31.6thousand tonnes during the 2007/2008 season, a decrease by9 per cent from the 34.7 thousand tonnes estimated in theprevious season. Moreover, molasses production was recordedat an estimated 10.9 thousand tonnes, a decrease by 19 percent from the comparative figure of the previous season whichwas recorded at 13.5 thousand tonnes.Trade StatisticsNotwithstanding, exports also recorded significant declines overthe review period. Barbados shipped an estimated 27.7 thousandtonnes of raw sugar to the European Union (EU). This resultedin a 15 per cent decrease in raw sugar exports to the EuropeanUnion (EU), from the estimated 32.8 thousand tonnes shipped inthe 2006/2007 season (see Figure 1).However, Barbados benefited from the appreciating value of theEuro, in relation to the US dollar, to which the Barbadian currencyis pegged. The earnings from raw bulk sugar was thereforerecorded at approximately BDS $45.1 million. Despite theappreciating value of the Euro, the decline in the exported volumeof raw sugar resulted in the total export earning of the commoditydeclining by an estimated 3 per cent from the BDS$ 46.2 millionwhich was earned in the previous season.THE BARBADOS COTTON INDUSTRYThe commercial cotton crop planted during the 2007/2008 season was 111.69 hectares, a declineof 18.6 per cent from the 137.19 hectares planted in the previous season (see Table 1). The areaplanted by the Barbados Agricultural Management Company Ltd. (BAMC) accounted for 83.1 per centof the total commercial crop, while 16.7 per cent represented the production efforts of the privateestates. Only one small farmer expressed an interest in planting the crop during the season andplanted 0.2 hectares.Although the area planted in cotton decreased, the seedcotton received during the 2007/2008 season was estimatedat 79,895.96 kilogrammes, a 34% increase from the 59,526.3kilogrammes recorded in the previous season. This positivelyimpacted on the national lint production which was 26,040.01kilogrammes, a 36% increase from the 19,207.78 kilogrammesrecorded during the previous season.Table 1 - Cotton StatisticsImprovements in the cotton industry was largely attributedto the training which was provided by the extension staffof the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in pestscouting and identification. It was felt that the farmers and workerswho are engaged in cotton production should remainknowledgeable in these areas, as it will help them in makinggood pest management decisions.Item2006 | 2007Season2007 | 2008SeasonPercentageChange from2007 to 2008(%)Seed cottonreceived (kgs)59,526.3 79,895.96 34Lint produced kgs) 19,207.8 26,040.01 36Running bales 84 124 48Hectares planted 137.19 111.69 -18.6Source: Cotton Desk, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development16Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

THE BARBADOSFOOD CROP SECTORVegetable CropsThe Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developmentembarked on a new methodology for the calculationof food crop production during the year 2008.This methodology was guided by technical asistanceprovided by the Food and Agricultural Organisationof the United Nations (FAO).The Ministry’s survey is now designed towards capturing and generationof more timely statistics, with an additional feature of categorisingnational production into four categories, namely, the IrrigatedDistricts, Urban Corridor, Scotland District and Agricultural Areas.A preliminary analysis of the information captured to date for 2008indicates that there was a significant decline in food crop production(vegetables and root crops) from the previous year. However, somecaution must be expressed due to the change which was madein the methodology. On the other hand, the Ministry further notes thatagricultural import figures for 2008 for fresh vegetables and root cropsregistered increases of 4 per cent and 43 per cent respectively. Thismay provide some rationale for the decline in local vegetable and rootcrop production.LIVESTOCK& DAIRY SECTORSTotal livestock production in Barbados registered anestimated 26.1 million kilogrammes of fresh meatin 2008. The estimate had declined marginally by3.2 per cent from the total estimated 26.9 millionkilogrammes of fresh meat produced in 2007.Turkey and eggs were the main contributors to the decline in the totaloutput, as these commodities registered prodution decreases of 17.5 percent and 14.6 per cent respectively. Of special concern to the Ministrywas also production declines in pork (3.9 per cent), chicken (1.8 per cent)and milk (1 per cent). It must be noted that Veal, Mutton and Beef allregistered increases in production of 32.4 per cent, 17.6 per cent and 6.1per cent respectively.Volume 1Agricultural Digest | 200817

FISHERIES SECTORFisheries recorded a significant increase in the total fish catch in 2008, as landings were recorded at3.2 million kilogrammes; an improvement of 35 per cent, over the 2.4 million kilogrammes of fishcaught in 2007.There were some significant declines in the landings of traditional species like Dolphin, Kingfish, and Snapper with decreases of 38 percent, 25 per cent and 39 per cent respectively. However, the encouraging growth of the Flying fish (83 per cent), Billfish (45 per cent) andSwordfish (44 per cent) compensated for the declines of Dolphin, Kingfish, and Snapper.Table 2 - Fish Landings By Type (Tonnes) 2003-2008CategoryYear2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008Percentagechange from2007 to 2008(%)Flying Fish 1,912.3 1,185.6 1,111.9 921.6 1,288 2,354 83Dolphin 458.1 454.7 356.7 475.7 693.0 428.0 -38Kingfish 31.9 42.3 24.5 39.2 34.0 25.0 -25Billfish 68.2 61.8 131 97.1 57.0 83.0 45Tuna 162 191.8 265.2 181.2 140.0 142.0 2Snapper 15.4 5.8 6.3 13.3 22.0 14.0 -39Reef Fish(Carangids)25.6 32.0 15.3 19.8 8.0 16.0 96Shark 8.1 8.4 11.8 9.9 8.0 10.0 16Swordfish 16.1 19.0 33.1 29.9 20.0 29.0 44Any otherVariety96.2 130.6 112.7 106.8 109.0 116.0 6TOTAL 2,793.9 2,132.0 2,068.5 1,894.5 2,379.0 3,220.0 35Source: Fisheries Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development18Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

FOOD TRADEDuring 2008, the total import food bill for Barbadoswas estimated at Bds$ 691.7 million. This representsan increase of 32.7 2 per cent over the Bds$ 521.2million of food imported during the previous year.The three main sources of Barbados’ food imports in terms ofvalue were from the United States of America, Trinidad and Tobago andNew Zealand (41.2 per cent, 8.8 per cent and 7 per cent respectively).Total domestic food exports during 2008 also increased value by18.9 percent, to reach a total of Bds$ 213.8 million, comparedto the Bds $179.8 million exported in 2007. The top three exportmarkets were the United Kingdom, the United States of Americaand Trinidad and Tobago (27.9 per cent, 21 per cent and 8.1percent respectively).2.It must be reiterated that this significant increase may be largely due to the increasein fuel prices which had a subsequent impact on freight charges.Table 3 - Barbados’ Agricultural Food Bill (2007 and 2008)ChaptersDefinitionImportBds$2007 2008Domestic ExportsBds$ImportBds$Domestic ExportsBds$2 Meat and edible meat offal 38,159,617 1,188,603 46,058,996 1,695,0483Fish and other seafood, excludingornamental and live fish26,129,521 1,678,616 28,509,015 1,392,5684Dairy products, eggs, natural honey, edibleproducts of animal origin, not elsewhere 49,661,105 1,901,170 66,588,473 1,878,425specified or included7Edible vegetables and certainroots and tubers23,051,143 193,696 25,059,133 113,2978Edible fruit and nuts, peel of citrusfruit or melon17,617,228 385,039 21,507,060 681,4689 Coffee, tea, mate and spices 5,750,990 49,855 6,586,594 72,31710 Cereals 36,280,798 331,653 70,614,276 473,63111Products of the milling industry, malt,starches, insulin, and wheat gluten7,935,763 5,378,192 12,903,904 7,730,15912Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits,miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit, excludingseeds for sowing, perfume,17,912,899 35,319 38,328,178 7,802straw and fodder15Animal or vegetable fats and oils,Excluding glycerol waters20,513,983 22,577,633 39,967,456 33,478,86016Preparations of meats, of fish orof crustaceans, molluscs or other18,223,023 7,074,120 22,378,385 7,136,719aquatic invertebrates17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 32,824,942 37,570,198 41,501,622 48,190,59618 Cocoa and cocoa preparations 9,411,688 30 11,177,726 15,69619Preparations of cereal, flour, starch or milk,pastry cooks' products42,495,662 14,511,969 54,616,670 17,590,30720Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts,or other parts of plants37,748,589 2,418,195 43,585,900 3,263,28721 Miscellaneous edible preparations 48,326,206 4,568,880 62,531,971 4,097,65922 Beverages, spirits and vinegar 89,185,531 79,901,255 99,783,368 85,910,504TOTAL 521,228,688 179,764,423 691,698,727 213,728,343Source: Agricultural Planning Unit, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentVolume 1Agricultural Digest | 200819

RAINFALL IN 2008Total rainfall in Barbados increased in 2008 to halt a three(3) - year decline in rainfall activity which the country hadbeen experiencing. Total rainfall in 2008 was estimatedat 15,945.2 millimeters, an increase of 18.7% over the13,436.5 millimeters estimated in 2007.In 2008, October experienced the most rainfall activity, registering 3,259.1millimeters of rain. Conversely, May traditionally part of the dry season,expectedly experienced the least amount of rainfall, registering 158.6 millimetersof rain. The average rainfall for each month was estimated at 1449.6 millimeters(see Graphs below).3,500Figure 2: Barbados Rainfall By Month (2007 and 2008)3,000Millimeters2,5002,0001,500200720081,000500Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct NovMonthsDecSource: Meteorological Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentSt. John was the parish which recorded the most rainfall with 1921.8 millimeters, while St. Thomas was recorded as the parishwith the least amount of rainfall activity with only 497.9 millimeters of rain for the year.2,500Figure 3: Rainfall By Parish in Barbados (2007 and 2008)2,000Millimeters1,5001,000200720085000ChristChurchSt. Andrew St. George St. james St. John St. Joseph St. Lucy St. Michael St. Peter St. Philip St. ThomasParishesSource: Meteorological Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development20Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

AGRICULTUREUPCLOSEMr. Damien Hinkson is a 25 year old farmer, whohas been engaged for the past eight (8) yearsin the research and development of various typesof aquaponic systems which are specific to theBarbadian environment.Q: What has attracted you to working in agriculture?A: I have always been attracted to nature, so thereforea job in agriculture was a natural progression.Q: What do you see as the future of agriculture in Barbados?A: I see a greater emphasis on the business side ofagriculture, with the sector being characterisedby small/medium-sized greenhouses, aquaponicsgrowing tilapia (fish) and a wide variety of organic fruitsand vegetables being grown.Q: What do people need to know if they want to getinto farming?A: Money continues to be a critical driving force;however, you must love agriculture in order to besuccessful in this line of work.Q: Are there any programmes or activities that you asa farmer would like to see implemented in Barbadosfor agriculture? If so what are they?A: I would like to see a programme where the averagefarmer can come up with solutions to the problemswhich have been identified by the Government,as well as being paid for their contributions.For example, the sugar industry is dying, so whynot put a large set of money up for grabs to the firstperson that builds an efficient ethanol plant, or, in thecase of the Giant African Snail, provide moneyto persons who can build a good snail trap?Q: If you were the Minister of Agriculture for the day,what would be your first mission be to improve the sector?A: The first thing I would do is to pay officials accordingto the amount of work which they do.Q: What do you think is constraining the agriculturalsector from developing in Barbados?A: Many persons, both within and outside of the industryare unwilling to take risks. Additionally, the lazinessof farmers has become a key constraint.ON THE LIGHTER SIDEQ: What do you like to do during your spare time?A: In my spare time I like to do some reading,and spend time with close ones.Q: What is your favourite meal?A: A vine ripened brandy-wine tomatoalways beats anything.Q: What has been your biggest accomplishment to date?A: My biggest accomplishment is the establishmentof the first commercial size aquaponics systemin the country.Q: Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?A: I see myself in the future teaching aquaponicsto the masses in BarbadosVolume 1Agricultural Digest | 200821

STATISTICAL APPENDIXTable 1: Production Of Selected Agricultural CommoditiesCommoditiesYear2005 2006 2007 2008 (P)Selected Vegetable Production (‘000 kgs)String Beans 343.00 370.72 252.04 219.09Beet 98.89 92.35 109.77 38.60Cabbage 405.38 641.88 253.54 622.61Carrot 467.20 317.74 305.44 382.53Cucumber 1,388.05 1,324.21 1,449.95 1,157.26Lettuce 285.28 438.87 417.53 190.59Melon 379.46 309.64 477.38 237.14Okra 494.97 525.16 658.12 593.57Pepper (hot) 114.09 136.53 114.17 163.6Pepper (sweet) 574.94 477.53 419.49 351.26Pumpkin 204.25 120.88 159.51 344.55Tomato 987.27 1,040.61 1,224.22 1,002.67Selected Root Crop Production (‘000 kgs)Cassava 198.64 374.67 448.10 621.56Eddoes 174.48 156.80 151.43 49.05Onion 346.46 444.18 287.34 201.91Potato(sweet)2,083.90 2,200.88 1,334.56 1,240.84Yam 817.48 793.80 646.45 372.82Peanut 22.50 21.34 9.33 31.6Livestock and Dairy products (‘000 kgs)Pork 2,308.06 2,636.88 2,502.01 2,636.8Beef 173.31 169.56 136.06 144.39Veal 8.67 12.58 6.29 8.33Mutton 78.53 78.95 72.37 84.14Poultry 15,022.25 13,846.62 14,934.03 14,387.95Table Eggs 1,384.86 1,986.55 2,305.01 1,902.51Fresh Milk 6,256.40 5,569.86 6,762.30 6,694.39Source: Agricultural Planning Unit, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development22Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

STATISTICAL APPENDIXTable 2: Average Wholesale Produce Prices For 2008CROPMonthJAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DECVegetables Crops ($/kg)Bean 5.08 8.05 7.81 5.96 6.13 7.91 8.28 8.62 8.65 8.78 n/a n/a 7.53Beet 4.86 4.98 4.68 4.68 4.72 4.83 4.99 5.06 5.15 5.15 n/a n/a 4.91Cabbage 4.53 4.58 4.40 4.24 4.36 4.36 4.46 4.60 4.67 4.60 n/a n/a 4.48Carrot 5.10 5.30 5.65 5.40 5.45 5.44 5.59 5.73 5.65 5.75 n/a n/a 5.51CauliflowerChristophene7.31 7.29 7.24 7.13 7.13 7.10 7.10 7.01 7.31 7.39 n/a n/a 7.205.90 5.57 5.96 6.14 6.48 6.56 6.45 6.45 6.45 6.50 n/a n/a 6.25Cucumber 2.67 2.95 3.24 1.65 1.91 2.51 2.42 2.49 2.31 1.32 n/a n/a 2.35Eggplant 2.25 2.22 2.44 2.50 2.50 2.63 2.75 2.75 2.75 2.75 n/a n/a 2.55Marrow 2.79 2.80 2.81 2.83 2.83 2.93 3.03 2.99 3.03 3.12 n/a n/a 2.92Okra 2.20 2.16 2.11 1.96 1.96 1.96 1.96 1.96 1.96 1.93 n/a n/a 2.01PeppersweetPepperhotPumpkinbellyPumpkingardenSquashb/nutSquashfingerTomatolarge3.47 4.53 4.85 5.42 4.93 3.71 3.77 3.85 3.78 3.65 n/a n/a 4.196.48 6.41 6.48 6.39 6.31 6.20 6.20 6.53 6.61 6.75 n/a n/a 6.442.00 2.00 2.20 2.80 2.80 2.80 2.80 2.76 2.68 2.75 n/a n/a 2.562.70 2.70 2.76 2.91 2.90 2.90 2.90 2.90 2.90 2.90 n/a n/a 2.853.28 3.26 3.24 3.30 3.30 3.30 3.30 3.29 3.25 3.25 n/a n/a 3.288.80 8.80 8.77 8.70 8.70 8.70 8.70 8.78 8.80 8.80 n/a n/a 8.755.20 2.63 2.41 2.26 2.39 2.35 3.02 5.08 5.15 6.33 n/a n/a 3.68Root Crops ($/kg)Eddoes 2.95 2.95 2.90 2.75 2.75 2.75 2.71 2.80 2.80 2.80 n/a n/a 2.82Sweetpotato4.50 4.50 4.48 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.40 4.44 4.40 4.70 n/a n/a 4.46Yam 2.87 2.87 2.87 2.87 2.87 2.87 2.87 2.85 2.85 2.85 n/a n/a 2.86Cassava 1.51 1.54 1.54 1.54 1.54 1.54 1.52 1.43 1.43 1.43 n/a n/a 1.50Herbs ($/kg)Eschalot 10.60 10.60 10.60 10.60 10.60 10.60 10.60 10.60 10.60 10.60 n/a n/a 10.60Marjoram 15.73 15.73 15.77 16.30 16.30 16.30 16.30 16.30 16.30 16.30 n/a n/a 16.13Parsley 12.00 12.00 11.80 11.40 11.40 11.40 11.40 11.40 11.40 11.40 n/a n/a 11.56Thyme 17.90 17.90 17.90 17.90 17.90 17.90 17.90 17.90 17.90 17.50 n/a n/a 17.86Source: BADMC Weekly Survey of SupermarketsAVG.PRICEVolume 1Agricultural Digest | 200823

STATISTICAL APPENDIXTable 3: Average Retail Produce Prices For 2008CROPMonthJAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DECVegetables Crops ($/kg)Bean 10.07 12.47 13.48 11.50 11.60 11.90 14.12 14.40 14.40 14.40 n/a n/a 12.83Beet 8.04 8.42 8.61 8.56 8.78 8.85 8.85 8.85 8.84 8.82 n/a n/a 8.66Cabbage 7.87 7.87 7.85 7.84 7.92 7.94 7.94 7.94 7.94 7.94 n/a n/a 7.91Carrot 10.26 9.33 9.43 9.45 9.45 9.50 9.64 9.64 9.66 9.67 n/a n/a 9.60CauliflowerChristopheneAVG.PRICE15.83 15.91 15.61 13.89 14.04 14.19 14.46 14.46 14.46 14.46 n/a n/a 14.7310.28 9.24 9.68 10.69 11.63 11.96 11.96 11.96 11.96 11.96 n/a n/a 11.13Cucumber 4.41 4.74 5.20 3.67 3.74 4.13 4.52 4.35 4.85 4.42 n/a n/a 4.41Eggplant 4.29 4.29 4.32 4.28 4.34 4.36 4.43 4.43 4.43 4.43 n/a n/a 4.36Marrow 2.46 2.46 2.42 2.30 2.29 2.29 2.29 2.29 2.29 2.29 n/a n/a 2.34Okra 3.51 3.51 3.50 3.47 3.47 3.47 3.47 3.47 3.47 3.47 n/a n/a 3.48PeppersweetPepperhotPumpkinbellyPumpkingardenSquash b/nutSquashfinger5.64 6.03 6.65 8.62 8.62 8.00 6.96 7.22 7.18 7.13 n/a n/a 7.2110.92 10.62 10.73 11.04 11.04 11.00 10.86 10.86 10.86 10.86 n/a n/a 10.884.71 4.71 4.78 4.95 4.94 4.94 4.94 4.94 4.94 4.94 n/a n/a 4.885.10 5.10 5.14 5.27 5.27 5.27 5.27 5.27 5.27 5.27 n/a n/a 5.225.54 5.53 5.53 5.65 5.65 5.65 5.65 5.65 5.65 5.65 n/a n/a 5.6115.00 15.00 14.88 14.27 14.27 14.27 14.27 14.27 14.27 14.27 n/a n/a 14.47Tomato 10.17 5.00 4.27 3.90 4.45 4.57 5.34 6.85 7.90 12.66 n/a n/a 6.51Root Crops ($/kg)Cassava 2.72 2.72 2.70 2.65 2.65 2.65 2.65 2.65 2.65 2.65 n/a n/a 2.60Eddoes 4.92 4.92 4.96 4.93 4.90 4.90 4.90 4.90 4.90 4.90 n/a n/a 4.91Sweetpotato7.08 7.08 7.20 7.58 7.58 7.58 7.58 7.58 7.58 7.58 n/a n/a 7.44Yam 4.75 4.75 4.74 4.65 4.59 4.59 4.59 4.59 4.59 4.59 n/a n/a 4.64Herbs ($/kg)Eschalot 18.26 18.26 18.38 18.73 18.73 18.73 18.73 18.73 18.73 18.73 n/a n/a 18.60Marjoram 27.66 27.66 27.55 27.93 27.93 27.93 27.93 27.93 27.93 27.93 n/a n/a 27.84Parsley 23.96 23.96 23.58 23.01 23.39 23.39 23.39 23.39 23.39 23.39 n/a n/a 23.49Thyme 28.91 28.91 29.19 31.12 31.12 31.12 31.12 31.12 31.12 31.12 n/a n/a 30.48Source: BADMC Weekly Survey of Supermarkets24Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

STATISTICAL APPENDIXTable 4: Import Data For Selected Fresh Agricultural Commodities (Kgs, $)CommoditiesYear2005 2006 2007 2008ImportVolumeImportValueImportVolumeImportValueRoot Crop TradeImportVolumeImportValueImportVolumeImportValueFresh Cassava 3,456 3,266 1,101 2,464 1,101 2,464 36,372 20,914Eddoes 87,471 78,875 71,775 26,803 71,775 26,803 115,017 47,273Potato (sweet) 28,790 5,635 216 83 216 83 36,372 20,914Yam 18,625 15,466 16,934 7,131 16,934 7,131 20,716 9,920Onion 2,210,283 1,987,833 1,819,562 1,822,411 1,819,562 1,822,411 1,922,929 1,544,546Peanut 72,448 94,971 47,990 109,247 47,990 109,247 71,438 262,740Vegetable TradeString Beans 39 125 165 1,221 165 1,221 115 1950Beet 28,940 13,318 15,195 26,371 15,195 26,371 20,552 33,396Cabbage 471,440 390,052 441,435 775,584 441,435 775,584 416,515 743,271Carrot 443,648 433,531 409,338 831,197 409,338 831,197 444,888 958,247Corn 21,273 17,467 17,854 53,699 17,854 53,699 24,903 71,135Cucumber 59,056 3,411 32,709 43,099 32,709 43,099 9,819 13,067Lettuce 236,683 247,288 254,190 650,088 254,190 650,088 305,336 779,553Melon 673,640 582,757 673,204 1,137,536 673,204 1,137,536 445,425 649,296Okra 7 5 44 113 44 113 7 112Pepper (hot) 11,171 5,904 10,936 15,451 10,936 15,451 23,018 48,199Pepper (sweet) 277,156 68,939 44,241 158,067 44,241 158,067 77,334 254,367Pumpkin 375,180 511,049 482,436 487,373 482,436 487,373 548,646 818,278Tomato 316,180 144,302 153,963 413,714 153,963 413,714 138,565 389,567Livestock TradeBeef & Veal 2,169,073 1,837,225 1,737,998 13,002,080 1,737,998 13,002,080 69,424 298,252Mutton 1,370,182 1,570,760 3,815,040 8,766,256 3,815,040 8,766,256 1,803,666 11,584,376Pork 1,478,297 1,137,414 1,219,721 6,484,449 1,219,721 6,484,449 548,642 3,700,145Poultry 1,915,066 1,449,261 514,256 2,270,832 514,256 2,270,832 351,627 2,291,552Eggs 36,155 8,931 - - - - 20,013 156,155Fresh Milk 278,997 383,798 323,994 880,777 323,994 880,777 360,515 1,167,871Source: Barbados Statistical ServiceVolume 1Agricultural Digest | 200825

STATISTICAL APPENDIXTable 5: Total Export Data For Selected Fresh Agricultural Commodities (Kgs, $)CommoditiesYear2005 2006 2007 2008ExportVolumeExportValueExportVolumeExportValueRoot Crop TradeExportVolumeExportValueExportVolumeCassava - - - - - - - -Eddoes - - - - 1,036 705 - -ExportValuePotato (sweet) 31,284 4,056 4,056 4,025 11,572 12,907 8,421 16,592Yam 46,136 7,828 7,828 7,500 8,709 19,420 1,340 2,140Onion - - - - - - 84 504Peanut - - - - 165 176 - -Vegetable TradeString Beans - - - - - - 84 1,185Beet - - - - - - 11 49Cabbage 2,596 360 360 198 182 100 660 726Carrot 2,030 - - - - - 2,150 4,091Corn - - - - - - - -Cucumber 8,369 4,109 4,109 2,259 7,252 4,398 3,240 3,045Lettuce - 7 7 50 - - 1,214 14,063melon 1,524 - - - 1,742 1,066 1,020 868Okra - - - - - - 7 112Pepper (hot) - - - - 459 3,091 3,816 21,091Pepper (sweet) 3,322 1,023 1,023 692 1,055 680 614 675Pumpkin 1,579 - - - 690 601 - -Tomato 8,423 7,464 7,464 5,389 8,763 6,734 4,561 6,750Livestock TradeBeef & Veal 92 - - - - - 69,494 298,252Mutton - - - - - - - -Pork - - - - - - - -Poultry Meat 105,981 190,209 190,209 1,464,370 150,621 1,188,603 212,779 1,695,048Eggs 7,422 10,728 10,728 44,549 12,291 67,907 18,100 139,819Fresh Milk 529,312 471,709 471,709 759,185 864,662 1,489,689 680,374 1,565,309Source: Barbados Statistical Service26Agricultural Digest | 2008Volume 1

STATISTICAL APPENDIXTable 6: Monthly Rainfall Data By Parish For 2008 (Millimeters)STATIONBarbados Meteorological ServiceJAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TOTALChrist Church 80.1 37.8 41.6 48.3 13.0 157.1 148.4 129.6 142.2 304.0 190.7 153.9 1,446.7St. Philip 127.2 54.5 53.1 94.7 17.3 146.8 146.3 170.4 318.1 360.5 122.7 164.9 1,776.5St. George 102.2 64.7 46.0 62.2 17.2 135.0 126.9 157.2 262.3 370.7 207.8 162.0 1,714.2St. John 127.1 33.4 42.4 48.2 6.6 199.0 114.9 170.7 216.6 373.6 - - 1,332.5St. Thomas 72.2 61.0 51.0 101.5 16.6 130.9 149.4 254.1 313.9 320.5 259.6 191.1 1,921.8St. Joseph 111.6 33.2 39.6 71.5 18.6 144.6 121.4 157.8 354.3 301.9 146.5 163.7 1,664.7St. Andrew 39.8 61.0 42.8 94.6 10.0 154.4 123.4 151.0 146.2 235.8 149.0 161.4 1,369.4St. Michael 108.0 65.8 43.6 72.6 12.4 155.9 91.7 167.8 249.2 441.7 188.4 147.4 1,744.5St. James 57.2 67.0 39.2 100.8 8.8 137.4 118.2 135.8 205.4 386.6 - - 1,256.4St. Peter 35.4 33.6 27.9 50.7 18.5 117.9 163.9 111.3 251.2 163.8 135.1 111.3 1,220.6St. Lucy 205.0 64.8 87.1 121.4 19.6 - - - - - - - 497.9TOTAL 1,065.8 576.8 514.3 866.5 158.6 1,479.0 1,304.5 1,605.7 2,459.4 3,259.1 1,399.8 1,255.7 15,945.2MEAN 96.9 52.4 46.8 78.8 14.4 134.5 118.6 146.0 223.6 296.3 127.3 114.2 1,449.6Source: Meteorological Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentVolume 1Agricultural Digest | 200827