In Saint Lucia, a shortage of boxes for banana exports has emerged, attributed to maintenance activities at WINERA, the primary supplier. Agriculture Minister Henry Prospere highlighted the issue's impact on farmers, especially amidst an overproduction of bananas. The shortage, persisting for three weeks, has led to a delay in exports.
The National Fair Trade Organisation (NFTO) has provided some relief by sharing its limited box inventory with private exporters. Additionally, the ministry has procured 7,000 boxes from the Dominican Republic, expected to arrive soon. This situation coincides with a period of increased banana surplus, further complicating logistics for farmers. Prospere mentioned the possibility of involving another entity for box importation to mitigate such shortages in the future. WINERA is anticipated to resume box production by April 10.
Source: thevoiceslu.com