Agriculture Minister vows action on ‘unnecessary’ imports

Agriculture Minister Dr Shantal Munro-Knight.(FP) Government is moving to curb imports of food and agricultural products that can be produced locally, with Agriculture Minister Dr Shantal Munro-Knight signalling closer scrutiny of imported commodities. The minister revealed that officials are already reviewing pork and sugar imports as part of efforts to reduce what she described as unnecessary imports and strengthen domestic production. Addressing the Barbados Agricultural Society’s annual general meeting at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Saturday, Munro-Knight said the Ministry of Agriculture had raised concerns with the ministry responsible for business and commerce over pork imports, arguing that local producers have the capacity to satisfy local demand. Similar concerns have also been raised about sugar entering the local market, with the issue referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. “I cannot, as Minister of Agriculture, tell you to go out there and increase production but not also on the other end be able to address the unnecessary imports,” she said. Munro-Knight stressed that the goal was not to eliminate all imported food but to focus on areas where local producers could meet market demand on a commercial scale. You Might Be Interested In The minister said her ministry is reviewing tariff headings and production data for individual pork products to determine the country’s capacity to meet demand and assess why those imports remain at current levels. She disclosed that two meetings have already been held with the ministry responsible for business and commerce since September, during which local pork production statistics were presented. A similar review is under way for sugar. Munro-Knight made the comments while seeking to put Barbados’ food import bill into perspective, arguing that an increase in spending does not necessarily mean substantially more food is entering the country. She said Barbados spent $958 million on imported food in 2025, compared with $864.4 million in 2024, representing a 10.8 per cent increase. However, the actual volume of food brought into the island rose by just 2.4 per cent. She pointed to the impact of external market conditions on food prices as she noted the gap between import costs and volumes. “In 2025, Barbados spent $958 million on imported food, compared with $864.4 million in 2024. That was a 10.8 per cent increase on imported food. But there’s an important distinction. While value increased by almost 10.8 per cent, the actual quantum of food that was imported only increased by 2.4 per cent,” she said. As an example, the minister said Barbados imported approximately 195 000 kilogrammes fewer fresh vegetables in 2025 but still spent an additional $284 000 on those purchases. She said the figures demonstrate the need to look beyond the overall import bill and consider factors such as international prices, shipping costs, supply chain disruptions and the rising cost of agricultural inputs. The minister also cautioned against attributing the entire bill to agricultural produce, noting that it includes cereals, beverages, snack foods, processed products and other manufactured goods. According to Dr Munro-Knight, fresh vegetables and meat account for approximately 12.5 per cent of the total food import bill. She said efforts to reduce reliance on overseas supplies must also take into account consumer preferences, the needs of the tourism sector and the requirements of private businesses, arguing that the issue requires a broader national discussion about what Barbados produces and consumes. Meanwhile, it was revealed that domestic agricultural production recorded modest growth despite challenges posed by heat, drought and global price shocks. Crop production increased by one per cent in 2025, while livestock output rose by three per cent to approximately 13.32 million kilogrammes. Milk production climbed by 28 per cent, mutton production increased by 10 per cent and pork production rose by five per cent. Munro-Knight said these gains should be viewed against the backdrop of difficult conditions facing farmers and the wider agricultural sector. “Everybody believes that if farmers grow more food and more money is invested in agriculture, the country will have more food. But we all know it’s not that simple,” she said. (SB)