Pepper Shade House Project: 70% of shade houses already constructed – Armogan

…says farmers should start reaping peppers in 6 months

About seventy of the one hundred shade houses being constructed in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) for the cultivation of peppers has been completed.
These shade houses, being constructed by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) through the Ministry of Agriculture, each has a capacity to accommodate 400 plants.
This project was launched in May by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who has assured that the MOA would find markets for farmers and ensure that they get a fair price for their produce.
The peppers produced would be processed at the Umami agro-processing facility in Black Bush Polder, which exports its products to Europe and other markets.
Having all of the farmers in one area is expected to facilitate Umami purchasing all the peppers produced, and accommodate an arrangement that ensures the facility gets a steady supply of peppers.
At a recent Regional Democratic Council (RDC) meeting, Region Six Chairman David Armogan announced that farmers in the Crabwood Creek area would soon produce peppers under the ‘Pepper Shade House Project’.
Meanwhile, some farmers who have already commenced planting explained that NAREI provided the materials for the shade houses, built them, and supplied the plants.
Gaitree Mahadeo, who resides at Line Path Skeldon, has said her entire family is involved in this project, and they have also done some upgrades on the shade house built by NAREI.
“The pepper, if we get the market, we would sell it. We plant and we help people in the village, because we normally collect the mould (soil) from the people in the village, so we give back to them. It all depends on how the crop comes. Sometimes it gets disease and you have to spray it, so we would only sell depending on the market,” she explained.
Another farmer, Rishma Rampersaud of Crabwood Creek, noted that an NDIA extension officer had reached out to her in relation to the shade house project, and after she had expressed enthusiasm, a team visited and built the shade house for her.
“It was set up good. Then I received pepper plants which I planted, and now they are growing and everything is okay,” she said.
Ravinia Arjun, a single mother of one, who also resides in Crabwood Creek, has said the project is quite beneficial.
“…because I can support my child off of it. I have about five acres planted in Moleson Creek, but it is sweet peppers, not the hot ones. Normally I would sell them at the local markets. Vendors would come and buy, and sometimes I would take it to the market,” she detailed.
Arjun has said she has never had difficulty in finding markets for her peppers.
Kumar Tulsie, who lives with a physical disability, had been having difficulty engaging in the cultivation of hot peppers before the project; and now, with the assistance of NAREI, the plants that he has under the shade house are not exposed to the extreme heat of the sun.
“The sun’s heat was too much, and the shade house helped me a lot. Everything is coming well,” he declared.
Even though Tulsie says the crop is coming well, he – like some other farmers – has to deal with disease affecting the peppers. However, NARIE has been providing technical assistance to the farmers.
Neeta Deenanauth of Crabwood Creek farms alongside her husband in the backlands. They, too, are a part of the shade house project. She says they currently have about three acres cultivated with peppers. She recounted a period when she had no market for her peppers, and the plants died because the peppers were left on the trees.
“Right now there is a good market, but there are no peppers,” Deenanauth has said.
She told this publication that Umami bought her peppers on only one occasion. She explained that most of her produce is sold to vendors in the capital city of Georgetown.
“Like Stabroek Market they sell at, Bourda Market, and some sell at Bath Settlement and other small markets. We don’t have a big market like an export market,” she explained.
Shade houses are currently being constructed for ten more farmers. NAREI has been providing the plants for the farmers at no cost.