Broccoli Harvesting Event Achieves Success Despite of Rainy Weather

By Brent Simon and Carol-Faye Bynoe-George

Despite the rainy weather, yesterday’s broccoli harvesting activity at the Green Castle Agricultural Station was successfully completed.

The event hosted in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy, The Long Ping High Tech Corporation and the Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted the importance of agricultural cooperation and innovation in Antigua and Barbuda.

The half day function began with brief remarks from, Mrs. Maudvere Bradford/Senior Research Officer, in the Ministry of Agriculture, welcoming the participants and giving a short history of the background and significance of the event.

Representatives from the Chinese Embassy in the persons of, Mrs.Chang Yun, The Director of Economic and Commercial Affairs Office of the Chinese Embassy in Antigua and Barbuda, and Ms. Ai HongFei, Third Secretary, along with Mr. Gregory Bailey/Director of Agriculture, as well as technicians from the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders in the industry.

The highlight of the event was the harvesting session, where participants worked together to meet the 150 – pound broccoli harvest quota. Tools and guidance were provided on site, ensuring a smooth and efficient process despite the weather challenges.

The Farmers that assisted with the harvesting and received seedlings were the participants from the training held in October.

They were Elsbeth Higgins, Ernestine Skepple, Adashena Ralph, Roseann Pelle, Cadisha Allen, Donna Pelle, Macbeth George, Alex Sonnes, Craig Joseph, Stephen Botsio and Mr. Pascal.

This was the second batch of the broccoli demonstration project at Green Castle Agricultural Station in collaboration with the Long ping High Tech Corporation.

The broccoli planted on November 28, 2024, were first harvested earlier this month, and this second harvest shows the potential of such initiatives.

We are reminded of the Director of Agriculture’s remarks at a previous event, where he stated that, “Nontraditional crop commodities such as broccoli hold tremendous economic potential since there is a high demand, with almost a hundred percent being imported from overseas.”

The event concluded with a vegetable donation function, where the harvested broccoli, along with 100 pound of cucumbers, 100 pounds of peppers, and 300 pounds of Chinese cabbage, was donated to the participants.

Some of the recipients commented on the high quality of the harvested vegetables and opined that agricultural sector has an enormous opportunity to expand with the continued community-oriented approach for agricultural development.

The institutions which received the generous vegetable donations were: Mount St. John’s Hospice, Antigua and Barbuda Public Service Association, Antigua Diabetic Association, Premier Nursing Home, Love and Care Nursing Home and the St. John’s Hospice.

The success of the event reflected the dedication of all involved, from the organizing team to the participants who braved the weather.

This activity underscore the positive impact of international agricultural partnerships and the resilience of local farmers and stakeholders in advancing Antigua and Barbuda’s agricultural goals.

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