The Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) has recommended a ban on the importation of certain produce which could reduce the island’s $700 million food import bill by at least $2 million.Chief Executive Officer (CEO) James Paul told a press conference at the BAS’ headquarters on Friday that farmers had the capacity to satisfy local demand for pumpkins, watermelons, cucumbers, and carrots, and the importation of those fruits and vegetables was undermining the industry.“We need to have a situation where imports are better regulated in this country . . . . I believe those imports should be banned whether or not they are coming from CARICOM [the Caribbean Community]. Barbadian farmers possess the capability to produce those products and at very competitive prices,” he contended.Paul added that it made no sense to ask farmers to ramp up production to boost the country’s food security when imports were still saturating the local market and forcing farmers to sell their products way below market price.
