LOOK FOR LESS LAND SPECULATION and some ease in prices for lots in the not-too distant future.

That's the word from chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul.

He was reacting to Monday's Budget presentation by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance David Thompson.

Thompson announced that an Agricultural Protection Bill was being drafted to protect large areas of farm land from being taken out of the sector.

Paul said such a law was long needed. The new law would "help to reduce land speculation and help to ease the price of land", he said, adding: "There has been too much speculation on agricultural land. That is why prices are so high."

Paul described the Budget as "a good one" that devoted "a lot of attention to the issues that agriculture has been trying to grapple with over years".

It had carved out a critical role for Government agencies involved in agriculture to play in areas such as accessing cheaper inputs for farmers, he noted.

It also put farmers in a position to get rebates upfront from Government for machinery and other purchases, rather than wait "sometimes for long periods" to get refunds, he pointed out.

There was also a move to boost cotton, cassava and inland fish production, James said.

The 4-H Movement is also being boosted with an increase in its annual subvention from $100 000 to $200 000. (TY)