St Lucia’s Agriculture Minster is defending native sea moss farmers who got here underneath fireplace in a submit over social media just lately.
The originator of the submit, who says they’re Grenadian, claims St Lucia is the largest provider of faux sea moss.
The person went on to criticize native sea moss farmers for his or her strategies of planting and harvesting sea moss.
The feedback didn’t sit effectively with Agriculture Minister, Alfred Prospere.
“St Lucia’s sea moss is likely one of the greatest on the earth,” Prospere informed reporters Monday.
St Lucia has been exporting sun-dried sea moss to america and the UK since 2019
and was additionally featured prominently in Dubai late final 12 months at Expo Dubai, 2020.
Prospere says St Lucian sea moss farmers have been working carefully and tirelessly with authorities in guaranteeing that native sea moss stays a premium product for export.
Nonetheless, there have been some problems with late with the standard of the product.
“I used to be knowledgeable that relying on the time of 12 months you harvest, there could also be some high quality points. I did counsel to them that they (farmers) have to work collectively, as a result of there are a variety of challenges that they face comparable to theft, and the entire difficulty of variation in costs provided to the exporters,” Propsere mentioned.
He highlighted the significance of sea moss to rural areas, noting over 400 people are concerned within the manufacturing of sea moss.
“In the event you a number of that 400 by a household of 4, that tells you the influence it is having by way of households and other people within the rural areas. I’m not conscious our sea moss is faux, I don’t assume so and I don’t wish to imagine that, however I’m involved about this business as a result of it has the potential for income era,” Prospere mentioned.
In keeping with him, in 2021, sea moss generated an earnings of over $9M for the island and is anticipated to extend in 2022.
