NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (March 23, 2022) — Preparations for the Department of Agriculture’s 2022 Agriculture Open Day at the Elquemedo T. Willett Park on March 24-25 are nearing completion, and Mr. Randy Elliott, Director of Agriculture is urging the public to support the event.

Mr. Elliott said on March 23, 2022 that the public can expect to be entertained at the event.

“The place to be this Thursday and Friday is at the ETW Park. We have entertainment that would keep you all day. So for those who are on vacation you could come and spend the day with us. For those who actually have to work you come up in your lunch hour, you come up after work because we actually have an after-work lime also. There will be a well-stocked bar and we just ask the general public to come, support and continue to be a partner with the Department of Agriculture. The entrance fee is only EC$5. School children in uniform you enter free…

“Come out, support, patronise our farmers, all our partners, the craft, the food the bars we will just have fun. Remember eat local. Buy local. Support local,” he said.

The agriculture director noted that there would also be a range of agricultural products including local onions, and melons; seeds and seedlings from the Plant Propagation Unit; fresh fish from the Nevis Fishermen’s Marketing and Supply Cooperative and some fishers; meat products from the Abattoir which will be available from 7 a.m. daily; smoothies and other products from the Agro Processing Unit; and the Livestock Division will have on display a mini zoo. There will also be ornamentals and craft will available.

Regarding the food vendors Mr. Elliott stated that there will be a range of them who will cater to the public’s every need.

“We have the food demonstrations and for those who come and are looking for something to eat the place for lunch will be here also. You have quite a few food vendors that are going to be on the grounds. You have a range for vegetarian to meat eaters to fish eaters,” he said.

The agriculture director used the opportunity to encourage persons to support the raffles for livestock by the Veterinary Division.

“Remember to partake in the raffles. The [raffle] books will be on the ground or if you are interested in purchasing now check any staff from the Veterinary Division.

“When you enter the gate, the stub you get in your hands please don’t dispose of it. At the end of each day, we will be doing a raffle and we trust that your number is called compliments Digicel and Flow,” he said.

Partners with the department are expected to have display booths at the event. They include: St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank; Social Security; Nevis Solid Waste Management Department; Nevis Disaster Management Department; the Republic of China (Taiwan), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).