The Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries, and the Blue Economy has announced the commencement of the second phase of its Antigua Black Pineapple rehabilitation project, which will see the planting of 20,000 new plantlets across the island.
Following the successful implementation of the first phase, which involved 5,000 plantlets at the Cades Bay Agricultural Station, officials are optimistic about the project’s expansion and its potential impact on revitalizing Antigua’s iconic agricultural product.
Carol Faye Bynoe-George, Head of Communications for the Ministry, expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far.
“All of the plants that were planted are growing as expected. The adaptation has been seamless,” Bynoe-George said. “We had a drip irrigation system installed to ensure proper hydration of the plants. We also have a water catchment, so the plants would be given adequate amounts of water and fertilizers. The growth rate of the plantlets is pleasing, as expected.”
The Antigua Black Pineapple, known for its distinctive sweet flavor and tender flesh, has faced declining production in recent decades. This rehabilitation initiative aims to bring production back to sustainable levels within a three-year timeline.
According to Bynoe-George, a key factor in the project’s success has been the collaborative approach between various agricultural entities.
“If we faced any challenges, they are very, very minimal because we have the collaboration of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and all the different technology and expertise that we want for the project. We have Mr Bradbury Brown who is on board, and CARDI and IICA, so I can’t recall if there have been any challenges. I think so far it’s been smooth sailing and we’re very, very pleased with the progress of the project.”
The second phase will significantly expand the project’s reach beyond government’s agricultural stations. A substantial portion of the 20,000 plantlets will be distributed to local farmers, creating a more diverse production base across the island.
“They’ve now introduced another extended arm to local farmers who would be willing to also be producers of the Antigua Black,” Bynoe-George noted. “We just had a walkthrough with some of the local participant farmers to showcase what has been happening. Going forward, a significant portion of these 20,000 plantlets will be distributed and planted in different areas across the island.”
This distributed approach will also help agricultural officials determine the optimal growing conditions for the pineapple variety.
“A comparison will be done to determine which regions are most conducive for optimal pineapple growth and yield,” added Bynoe-George.
The tissue cultures used for the project were sourced locally, ensuring that the plantlets are genetically identical to the authentic Antigua Black Pineapple.
“They’ve shown very good adaptation because they are not foreign plants we’re trying to introduce. This is actually the Black Pine from right here in Antigua,” Bynoe-George explained.
She also said that some of the farmers participating in the second phase have previously grown the Antigua Black and samples for the tissue culture actually came from their properties, creating a full-circle approach to the rehabilitation effort.
Meanwhile, the Ministry reports that despite the scale of the second phase, the project remains firmly on schedule to meet its three-year target for bringing Antigua Black pineapple production back to commercially viable and sustainable levels.
For more information about the Antigua Black Pineapple rehabilitation project or to inquire about participation, contact the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries, and the Blue Economy.
