Agri Society in seedling drive to help flood-hit farmers

Over 100 farmers who have been devastated by floods, Giant African Snails and locusts are to benefit from a donation of over 30,000 seedlings and hampers with insecticides, fungicides and fertilisers.

The initiative, a joint effort by the Agricultural Society of TT and the Ministry of Agriculture, kicks off on November 12 at Felicity and Jerningham, in Cunupia.

President of the society Daryl Rampersad said the project is scheduled to last about four weeks and farmers from across the country stretching from Sangre Grande and environs to Moruga are expected to benefit.

Rampersad said the some of the most affected farmers have been identified by members by the society and he was grateful for donations of seedlings from ASASCO, chemicals from Agostini Ltd and Mafas Ltd. He said the door remains open to any other agricultural suppliers to get on board to help farmers get back on their feet.

Rampersad said some farmers have had to restart their crops for a second and third time for the year after floods destroyed their fields.

He identified sweet peppers, melongene and tomatoes as some of the crops which were destroyed in recent floods.

Among the seedlings the society intends to distribute are sweet pepper, tomato, cucumber, ochro, lettuce, patchoi and hot peppers. He said farmers from Wallerfield and Cumuto, Macoya, Bon Air, Sangre Grande, Matura, Kernahan, Mayaro and Moruga have been identified as most in need.

Some of these areas have been swamped by floods on several occasion during the raining season.

"I wish I could do more," he said, as he pleaded for more businesses to join in the drive to help farmers.