Minister of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources, Senator Arnold Piggott, says there is no food crisis in Trinidad and Tobago.

His comments come as supermarket shelves nationwide are bare of flour and rice, which have been in short supply and escalating in cost, prompting some level of panic buying from consumers.

’I wouldn’t like us to say that we have a crisis in food in Trinidad and Tobago, because I don’t know that we do. I am not aware that we have a crisis at this time. What we have been doing is seeking to prepare such that we don’t find ourselves in a crisis,’ Piggott said yesterday during a press conference at the Kapok Hotel in Port of Spain.

’We are importing food from many countries, we are producing substantial quantities of food in Trinidad and Tobago.’

This was the first time Piggott had spoken publicly on the issue of the growing demand and cost of food. His comment were also in contrast with statements made by Consumer Affairs Minister Peter Taylor, who last week encouraged consumers to change their eating habits and start planting home gardens to survive the worsening food crisis.

Piggott added that the ministry was currently conducting a gap analysis to determine how much we produce, as opposed to what the population demands. He called on the nation to be understanding.

He was speaking at a media conference to announce that Trinidad and Tobago was scheduled to host the Second Roundtable on Sustainable World Cocoa Economy in March 2009.

Contacted on Piggott’s comment yesterday, president of the Supermarkets Association, Balliram Maharaj, said news reports clearly point out that the world is crying out about a rice and wheat crisis. He added that the country was facing a serious food shortage and that agricultural production must be fast tracked.

President of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA), Gregory Aboud, meanwhile said that while this country may not be experiencing a food crisis, more should be done to ensure that it does not take place.

’I tend to agree that there isn’t a crisis-as yet. This does not preclude a crisis in the future. The fact remains that there is widespread international concern about the supply of food and that should be ample warning to our country that agriculture needs to become a priority again,’ Aboud said.

Piggott also announced various initiatives to increase food production and said the ministry is working to bring relief to citizens.

’This Government is acutely aware of the imperative that has been placed upon Trinidad and Tobago to facilitate increased food production and as we speak, several committees are diligently at work to fine tune certain initiatives,’ he said.

According to Piggott, this includes a committee on revised incentives to farmers, a committee to deal with praedial larceny, a committee reviewing subsidies for rice farmers and a committee tackling possibilities for labour supply.

’In the face of unprecedented increases in the cost of food, the Government is mindful of the need for a sustainable agricultural sector. Very shortly, your Minister of Agriculture will announce the revised annual rates or rents on State leases to mitigate higher levels of food prices, which may result from imported food stuff,’ he said.

Piggott said within the next two weeks, he should be able to say what the new rates will be.

He added that ongoing strategies include a committee to deal with food and inflation and a committee guiding the land settlement and distribution process.

He said his ministry will also continue to bring agricultural production levels up by a ’range of activities’. He said land, labour and capital is necessary to make this possible, adding that Government can supply land and capital but that farmers have the responsibility to provide labour.

Piggott said agriculture also needs to be commercialised and he encouraged farmers to come together in associations and cooperatives. He said the Government had begun to look at infrastructure development in terms of access to roads, drainage and irrigation.

He called for a collaborative approach from all stakeholders to deal with food production and reiterated Government’s commitment.

’The Government is committed to revitalising agricultural production and to making sure that every one of our citizens can afford to eat and eat well.’