REGARDLESS OF what the World Trade Organisation (WTO) thinks, Barbados should put curbs on imports to protect its agricultural sector.
Agricultural expert Dr Frances Chandler made this suggestion on Tuesday night in the Queen’s Park Steel Shed, where she delivered a lecture on diversification of food production.
Chandler, who has long been advocating that Barbadians increase food production and consume more of what they grow, said there should be outright bans on some imports and curbs on others to protect the local market.
“I don’t mind who disagrees with me, but I think we need protection,” she told the gathering that included several farmers and other people involved in agriculture.
“How do we expect to compete with these large countries whose agriculture is subsidised and we aren’t subsidised? I don’t agree with it. WTO or no WTO, I would be keeping [imports] out; when I have a crop not a bit of [competing imports] will be passing our shores.”
