Farmers Week 2012 has ended on a high note for the Department of Agriculture with the Food Fair at Noel Lloyd Park on February 17, 2012 closing off the week of activities. Photo: Andre "Shadow" Dawson

A pleasant vendor serving a customer at the Food Fair on February 17, 2012. Photo: Andre Dawson

Freshly squeezed sugar cane juice were also on sale at the Food Fair. Photo: Andre Dawson

On Friday February 17, 2012, farmers, food vendors and others turned out to participate in the annual Food Fair and Exhibition at Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park, which brought down the curtains on Farmers’ Week that saw activities on Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke.

Speaking to Virgin Islands News Online close to the end of the day, Senior Assistant Human Resources Manager at the Department of Agriculture Arlene Thomas said the event was successful on all the islands including Tortola. “The farmers came out and supported us and on the sister islands, it played out pretty good.”

She noted of special improvements on Anegada where the event was moved from the Village to the Agriculture sub-station and said the feedback from farmers on the island was very good.

Even to the attendance to the Sister Islands’ activities was more notable she explained with two boats used to take persons over to Anegada and Virgin Gorda.

While acknowledging that there were persons with concerns about the event and need for improvement, Thomas said most people are still opened towards the weeklong event, and what they do.

“The only complain we had is it should have been around pay day because some people said they would have been able to purchase more but other than that as far as Agriculture Department it was really great. As for the Agriculture Department and what we were doing directly, people were buying our fruit trees, we had 11 different types of mango trees and six different types of avocado and those went pretty well along with our cinnamon, bay leaves and others,” she disclosed.

She also noted that one of the other areas the department is trying to improve on is entertainment but because of the budget they had to cut back and also the need for more games. Regarding the traditional donkey races, Thomas admitted that they did had the animals but did not have individuals who were willing to ride them and hopes that next year it will be different.

The 2012 Farmers Week was held under the theme, “Celebrating 20 Years of BVI Culture Through Agriculture".