Farmers Support Company - FSC

Excellent News for Banana... A collaborative effort between, the Farmers Support Company, Ministry of Agriculture, Fair Trade and WINFRESH resulted in the first shipment of bananas from St Vincent and the Grenadines to the United Kingdom, since 2010.

The container of the highest quality of bananas left the state on October 18.

In an effort to ensure quality produce, maintain a competitive edge, and prepare for the international market, the nation’s banana farmers are required to start or continue the ribbon tagging process.

In September 2014, the Farmers Export Initiative under the auspices of the Farmers Support Company (FSC) commenced the purchasing bananas.

The FSC is therefore appealing to all farmers to become involved in the ribbon tagging process on or before August 3, 2015. Failure to do so will result in the FSC not purchasing bananas from these farmers after the said date.

Banana farmers are also required to pack standard fruit with the required finger length of 8 inches minimum and above. Failure to comply with the required finger length would result in the boxes being rejected and possible suspension of purchasing of bananas from farmers for period of 3 weeks.

The FSC would be engaged in the purchasing of small bananas with finger lengths from 7 inches minimum to 8 inches only upon request.

All banana farmers are asked to adhere to the standard fruit quality. Additional information on fruit quality can be obtained from the National Fair Trade Organisation (NFTO) or from the Farmers Support Company (FSC).

Meanwhile, farmers selling bananas to the FSC that orders for boxes must be placed on or before 4 pm on Wednesday of each week. Farmers are advised to collect boxes from the following persons: Nioka Balcombe-Abbott - Langley Park, Eugene Stephens - Park Hill, Lavern Cain - La Croix Boxing Station, Whitfield Anderson – Byrea, Samuel Harry – Diamonds and Letesha Neverson – Vermont.

Building on its successes in 2014, the Farmers Support Company (FSC) is looking at improving its services to farmers this year and moving forward.
The FSC officially commenced operation in February, 2014 and celebrated its first anniversary earlier this year.
According to a loan status report dated February 2015, a total of 2218 loan applications have been submitted to the FSC to date, with over 1100 hundred farmers approved.
The Farmers Support Company revolving fund was established by the government, in an effort to boost the agriculture sector here. The programme avails loans to farmers at a rate of two percent.
Some 3,475 acreage land/farms have been cultivated through the assistance of the FSC.
The Farmers Support Company's Credit Facility is capitalized to a tune of EC$6 million, received as a grant from PetroCaribe.
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Ethie Lennon Williams and her husband Winston are banana farmers in the Mount Young area, who benefited from the FSC.
The farming couple describes the support of the FSC as "a blessing to farmers”.

Narrative assessment at Belair mountain. Even when they're not dressed for the occasion fsc staff takes the time out to conduct assessment in the field