Food import bill down two per cent

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Agricultural production is up and an additional 4000 acres will be put into cultivation next year, Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj has announced. Speaking at the second ceremonial harvest launch of the Caroni Green Initiative at Orange Valley, Couva, Maharaj said the sector expanded by 5.1 per cent over the past year “The contribution of agriculture to the GDP was $345.9 million and has increased by 77 per cent to $610.8 million in 2013,” he said
The minister said there has been a two per cent reduction in the estimated $4 billlion food bill since 2010 and food inflation was at 9.4 per cent in April compared to 29 per cent in May 2010. Speaking about the harvest at Caroni Green, Maharaj said 88,000 pounds of produce has been harvested  and production is up to 30,000 pounds a week. He expects that figure to increase to 50,000 pounds a week within the next two months.