The islands in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom are set to receive 24 million euros to increase local food production. The goal is to reduce reliance on costly imports and address high food prices, State Sec­retary for Kingdom Rela­tions Zsolt Szabó said during the parliamentary debate on the budget for Kingdom Relations on Wednesday, October 23. The funds will support initiatives aimed at growing fruits and vegetables locally, utilising methods such as hydroponics.

Szabó explained that during his recent trips to the Carib­bean parts of the Kingdom, he had seen how expensive fresh produce in local supermarkets is, and how fast the shelves are empty. “For a kilo of green beans on Bo­naire, you easily pay US $16. I also saw a litre of milk for $3.50. I also saw chips for $10 on Saba. Those are gigantic prices,” he said.

That is why he deems it so important to produce af­fordable food domestically. “This can be done on all is­lands with relatively small investments. On Aruba, St. Maarten and Saba, for in­stance, I visited so-called hydroponic farms where veg­etables are grown in the sun, in trays with water and nu­trients. Initiatives like these make the islands less depen­dent on food from abroad. It also avoids high import expenses. They are great ex­amples of self-reliance from these entrepreneurs,” he said.

As far as Szabó is con­cerned, these kinds of ini­tiatives should therefore be scaled up considerably in the coming years. Therefore, 24 million euros will also be made available for products that increase food produc­tion on the six islands.

These measures are part of a broader strategy to enhance the islands’ economic self-sufficiency and prosperity. The government is also fo­cusing on reforms in sectors such as tourism, construction and transport to enhance the islands’ economies.

The Daily Herald.