New life for goat industry

Legal Affairs Minister Christine Kangaloo during the PNM's special convention at the Bon Air High School, Bon Air, yesterday.

Juhel Browne jbrowne@trinidadexpress.com

Trinidad and Tobago's ranking as one of the fifth highest importers of goat meat in the world is the main reason behind the reallocation of 417 acres of land at Mon Jaloux for the revival of the small ruminants (goat and sheep) industry.

Legal and Consumer Affairs Minister Christine Kangaloo made the announcement yesterday during her presentation at the People's National Movement (PNM) special convention held at the Bon Air High School, Bon Air Gardens.

In his 2008 Budget presentation in the Parliament on August 20, Prime Minister Patrick Manning had announced that the 417 acres at Mon Jaloux would be reallocated to the Small Ruminants Society, subject to the submission of a viable business plan.

"Now one of the reasons why we have to revive the small ruminants industry is because Trinidad and Tobago ranks among the five highest importers of goat meat in the world. So we need to really start reviving that industry," Kangaloo said.

A document available on the internet from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) lists Trinidad and Tobago as the second highest importer of goat meat in the world during 2006.

Portugal was ranked as the number one importer of goat meat.

Trinidad and Tobago is the only Caribbean country on the MLA list of the world's top ten importers of goat meat.

In addition to the issue of small ruminants production, Kangaloo said there is now an all out war on high food prices in this country, as she reiterated the Government's plans for agriculture announced in the 2008 Budget presentation

"When we finish this war on food prices, who not dead, badly wounded. Among the wounded will be the agricultural pick pockets with Government's new arrangements to fight praedial larceny," Kangaloo said.

"These arrangements will be outside of the Police Service and it will be in place by the end of the first quarter of 2008."

Kangaloo said that in addition to the Government's plans for large scale farms, it also plans to set up additional farmers markets in Arima, Chaguanas, Marabella, Rio Claro, San Fernando and Sangre Grande to add to those now operating in Macoya, Debe and Diego Martin.

"These markets have had the benefit of taking out the middle man, allowing the farmer to meet and sell to the consumer directly and therefore means that the farmer has been getting better prices for his product and the consumer has also been benefitting with lower prices," Kangaloo said.

Niggas only know bout teefing and bullin goat. Nothing about rearing these animals.

You know I really cyah understand why it take six mudder cont years for these rectums to figure out that Trinidad does import so much fockin goat. What the fock Jammet Narine was doin all the time? What happen, we doh have a Minister of fockin Trade that could tell the conthole in Agriculture what we importing and how much?

You mean we have to wait until some fockin body way down Australia to tell us cyats that we in the top ten list of importers of goat and sheep?

All them plan for food prices just like them fockin Crime plan. They all fail!

So lets just go Tobago and watch some niggas run behind goat to bull dem, in dey famous Goat Race.