Farmer for life: Lettuce grower not giving up despite challenges

For decades, farmers have toiled in the soils of El Socorro and Aranguez, as their livelihood and to gain a sense of independence.

Lately, however, an increased cost of production, as well as an increasingly saturated market, has prompted second generation farmers like Troy Mataram to reconsider their techniques in order to grow and thrive in TT's market.

With a weekly output of 7,000 to 10,000 heads of lettuce, Mataram has established himself as one of TT's largest local producers, among his customers is a popular local fast food franchise.

Mataram says while he is proud of his achievements, he credits his success to a strong work ethic engendered by his father and a pride in being able to produce food for the public.

Often referring to his crops as his babies, Mataram says all crops require constant dedication and supervision to grow.

"It’s like seeing about a baby every single day, you can only go to sleep when the baby goes to sleep. They need constant nurturing, there are no holidays or days off when you're a farmer. Even if you've finished with what you were working on, there is always something else to do. Something new to start working on."

Mataram's days start at 5 am, beginning with harvesting fresh produce every morning for his clients. His career as a farmer began just after secondary school, working with his father in the field.

He says while he has learnt a lot from his father, there are recent challenges to the market that require more modern solutions. Pointing to an unwillingness to adapt to change and adversity, Mataram says a lack of flexibility in marketing and accounting are among the main reasons many farmers fail in their first year.

Aranguez farmers have had a rich history of perseverance as written in Samuel Selvon's 1952 novel A Brighter Sun, but recent challenges pose a threat to their lifestyle unless changes in their techniques and approach are made, Mataram says.

"One of the main problems with farmers is their insistence on sticking to old traditions. We can't stick to old traditions anymore, you have to change and adapt with new techniques and upgrade your farm to a different standard. When people see how much we’ve grown and adapted, it will encourage them to consume our local products.

"I know a lot of farmers and I know for a fact that they do not do their accounts, they do not keep proper records. Every cent has to be recorded for and farmers don't do that. They spend and try to meet costs, some don't even check their own labour, this is a business. It's the major reason why a lot of farms fail."

In addition to poor management practices, he also blames an upsurge in thefts and an increase in the cost of pesticides as part of the reason why farmers have a hard time making ends meet.

"If we're not here you could lose up to hundreds of heads of lettuce. I have known a farmer who lost (amount) that because there is no one there at night. We lost a couple hundreds already," he says about the impact of thieves raiding fields at night.

"Another challenge is the price of chemicals. I have seen a particular brand of chemical go from $100 less than a year ago to $150. It’s one of the main fungicides."

Issues of poor hygiene and bad farming practices, Mataram says, has also damaged the reputations of farmers. While he can sympathise with his peers who may have limited resources, he maintains there can be no excuse for responsible, healthy farming practices.

"People don’t know what they’re eating. This lettuce was sprayed just yesterday, there are some farmers that will cut and harvest it today, you don’t know that as a consumer, especially if I wash it because it’s already absorbed into the plant. Plants need a lapse time to allow the chemical to dilute, then it is fit for consumption, a lot of these other farmers won’t do that."

Referring to a plastic folder, Mataram follows a meticulous regimen in recording every detail of his crop from fertilising times to numbers on harvesting and planting.

During the interview, Mataram's 66-year-old father, Yudhisthir, visited the farm and spoke on farming today.

"Not that much has changed, but there are a lot less older farmers these days, it's usually younger people and there aren't that much farmers left at all.

"A lot of the older people leave land for their children who are happy just selling it, they aren't into the lifestyle as much as we were," Yudhisthir says.

On the issue of migrant workers, Mataram says he employs some Cubans who assist in harvesting the lettuce. He says among his top priorities are ensuring that they are legal to work in TT and anticipates more migrants with ongoing unrest in Venezuela.

Mataram says while there may be fluctuations in the market, he will remain a farmer.

"I think we're in the midst of a bust. Over the years I've noticed that it fluctuates. At one time it was very active, another time after a certain boom in the economy it dies down. So it will change depending on the state of the economy, it tends to come and go. But we (farmers) will always be here."