Minister Haynesley Benn told numerous stakeholders in the agriculture sector attending Wednesday's Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) accountability seminar at the Savannah Hotel, Hastings, Christ Church, that "this grass is more efficient in the production of ethanol than corn".
"The sugar cane grass possesses tremendous utility, and every effort must be made to exploit it. The sugar cane produces a lot of well-known products such as sugar, falernum, molasses, rum, spirits, bagasse and ethanol.
Sugar cane usage
"It is used widely in the food and health industries to produce jellies, jams, candy, soft drinks, compounds and medicines. In addition, the cellulose content of the sugar cane is used to produce paper and cardboard," he added.
Benn said the shift by the United States to use corn in the production of ethanol has had a "severe impact on food prices".
"An expansion in the acreage of corn on arable lands for the production of ethanol could lead to significant food shortages due to a reduction in acreage used to grow food for human consumption."
Low volumes
He admitted that Barbados might not be able to produce very high volumes sugar cane grass, "but we will work towards a percentage".
"In the last two or three years, efforts have been made to increase the production of sugar cane . . . and we know there are plans afoot for a new factory which are to be reviewed," he said.
The ministry, he added, also made the pledge to establish proper drying facilities to produce onion crops economically to achieve self-sufficiency in the sector.
"The ministry . . . through the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation is determined to improve the plight of farmers who now have to dry this crop essentially by solar energy in the open fields.
"This situation allows thieves to wreak havoc on our farmers. The ministry is presently working towards the establishment of proper drying facilities for onions," Benn stated.
In addition, he said the ministry would continue the project of establishing 11 greenhouses for young farmers "to manage and make a living".
He called on corporate Barbados "to exercise corporate social responsibility and share the burden of the increase costs of food and non-food items including energy".
Other project
Meanwhile, IICA representative Joseph Peltier explained that they were working on an urban agriculture project which he said would address the issue of production mainly of vegetables and fruits for the household.
He said with "tried and tested" techniques, it would help Barbadians with means of addressing the rising food prices and the consumption of nutritious foods.
*tracymoore@nationnews.com