Saint Lucia is looking for new buyers for its excess banana production. Although producers use surplus bananas to feed pigs, the lack of a market for this surplus is a cause for concern.

The Minister of Agriculture, Alfred Prospere, informed journalists that the industry has exceeded the 15,000 boxes sent abroad weekly. This complete recovery follows the impact of Hurricane Bret, which destroyed almost 75% of the plantations last June.

Competition is also challenging for Saint Lucia, as countries like Suriname and the Dominican Republic supply regular customers in places like Barbados. The Government reaffirms its support for farmers and is negotiating the export of bananas to the island of Saint Thomas, although measures must be taken to reduce transport time.

Saint Lucia's economy largely depends on agriculture, with bananas being its leading product. In addition, the high fertility of the soil benefits the cultivation of cocoa, sugar cane, and coconut. In 2021, the Caribbean exported bananas worth more than 1.7 million dollars to the United Kingdom, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Canada.