Arrowroot farmers who suffered losses from eruptions of the La Soufriere volcano in 2021, will receive income support payments soon.

Acting Prime Minister, Montgomery Daniel made the announcement on NBC Radio this morning.

The Minister said the payments will be made to farmers on Tuesday, 30th September.

"Since 2021 at the Cabinet, I asked the Cabinet to approve, which the Cabinet did, for the payment of the affected farmers within the Arrowroot Industry who couldn't harvested their rhizomes. And for the subsequent years until the factory, the new factory gets going, that consideration should be given to the farmers for some level of payment to which that indigenous crop could continue over the years. And my last discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture was that the payment for rhizomes for this year 2025 would be done on Tuesday the 30th of September, which is next Tuesday, and so all Arrowroot Farmers will be paid on that day for this crop year 2025."

Minister Daniel indicated that production of arrowroot is expected to resume next year, after the completion of the new Arrowroot Factory.

"The Ministry of Agriculture has indicated the equipment are already on order, the building is already established and for next year there will be the processing of rhizomes where we can now be restocking the starch from the arrowroot rhizomes and of course for sale both locally, regionally and internationally. Because the new factory is one that is hazard compliant and with this, that the food great standards will be met, and so the sale of this product is one that will meet international standards to which can be sold anywhere across the world."

SOURCE: National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC Radio)