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Clarke says ‘grow crops that do not require chemical treatment’
Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke, is urging farmers engaged in exports to consider cultivating crops, which will not need chemical treatment to preserve them for their target markets.
This call comes against the background of what he says is opposition by the United States to the chemical used to treat yams being exported to that country, particularly where the staple requires dissecting prior to packaging.
Addressing the Christiana Potato Growers’ Co-operative’s immersion technology training workshop, in Manchester, Mr. Clarke said the United States authorities had rejected the use of the chemical, saying that it has “too much residue” remaining after application.
He explained that the alternative proposed does not adequately preserve the yam against spoilage, hence the need to identify another option that is mutually acceptable.
The Minister said that while this is being explored, another alternative which could be considered is cultivating crops that do not require chemical treatment for preservation, citing the mini set yam as an example.
Mr. Clarke says a similar situation obtains for pumpkin, pointing out that the Ministry had developed the Bodles Globe, which is a small pumpkin that does not need to be cut.
Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke, is urging farmers engaged in exports to consider cultivating crops, which will not need chemical treatment to preserve them for their target markets.
This call comes against the background of what he says is opposition by the United States to the chemical used to treat yams being exported to that country, particularly where the staple requires dissecting prior to packaging.
Addressing the Christiana Potato Growers’ Co-operative’s immersion technology training workshop, in Manchester, Mr. Clarke said the United States authorities had rejected the use of the chemical, saying that it has “too much residue” remaining after application.
He explained that the alternative proposed does not adequately preserve the yam against spoilage, hence the need to identify another option that is mutually acceptable.
The Minister said that while this is being explored, another alternative which could be considered is cultivating crops that do not require chemical treatment for preservation, citing the mini set yam as an example.
Mr. Clarke says a similar situation obtains for pumpkin, pointing out that the Ministry had developed the Bodles Globe, which is a small pumpkin that does not need to be cut.