The Ministry also revealed that approximately 75% of bananas were lost to the rage of the storm. After promising a resuscitated banana industry by December 2023, Agriculture Minister Alfred Prospere has made good on that promise.

“I want to report that based on information provided to me as the Minister of Agriculture by the Banana Management Unit, we are seeing an increase in production of bananas since the storm. The assessment revealed that in Week 51, we are seeing an increase in production of between 3,000 and 3,5000 boxes per week, and over the next 8 weeks, this is expected to increase to almost 9,000 boxes,” the Agriculture Minister explained. According to him, Saint Lucia has a market in the region which farmers have to meet.

“This is very good for our farmers as they’ve not been given an income for the last five months. It is also good for our market, which requires 15,000 boxes a week. We’ve not been able to meet that demand,” he said.

In the interim, he adds, the government will continue assisting farmers to aid their operations.

“We are going to see more fertiliser being given to our farmers. We are going to be doing some drainage works in the areas of Babonneau, Cul de Sac, and the Dennery Valley. There are some primary drains that need to be desilted which has not been done for many years. We are going to be introducing new bloodlines into our country - swine, goats and sheep,” Prospere explained.

Another threat to the industry, he said, is the spread of Black Sigatoka - a deadly disease that can destroy an entire harvest. Prospere says the Ministry is devising strategies to curtail the spread.

“We are seeing an increase in the Black Sigatoka disease which has been a serious problem for the sector. We have agreed to tackle the hotspots - Micoud, Dennery, and Roseau. We are trying our best to get the oil spray to have the disease under control,” he said.

The Minister says the industry continues to persist despite challenges and changing global sentiments. At present, Saint Lucia no longer exports to the United Kingdom. Most of the island’s exports are to the region, particularly Barbados.