Natural Resources and Labour Minister Omar Hodge predicts that soon Paraquita Bay greenhouses will be producing 7,000 pounds of tomatoes per week within the next few months. ‘I am in a hurry,’ Mr. Hodge said, ‘because the Virgin Islands needs a means for mass food production here in the territory.’
Another greenhouse planned in South Sound, Virgin Gorda, is much further behind in the construction process. Planning officials issued a compliance notice last November ordering work to stop there. The South Sound work drew protests from the community because no environmental assessment was completed and the waters around it are a marine protected area.
This is Farmer’s Week in the Virgin Islands, celebrated by an Agricultural Fair on St Croix this past holiday weekend. The event is attended by islanders and farmers throughout the region, highlighting the agricultural resources available.
