Agriculture Minister, Hon. Israel Bruce, recently highlighted the vast economic potential of expanding aloe vera cultivation in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Agriculture Minister’s comments came as he visited three (3) Irish potato experimental plots in the Belle Isle area. He noted that the aloe vera plant is an ideal crop because of its ability to thrive in arid climates with very little financial investment.

However, beyond improving food security, the Minister views the plant as a lucrative resource for the global cosmetic industry. While he expressed enthusiasm for increasing production, he said, “It is something that we’ll have to do great market research and so forth before we make that quantum leap”, before committing to large-scale exports.

Ultimately, the Minister of Agriculture emphasised that the Government aims to diversify the agricultural ecosystem to create better opportunities for local farmers and international trade.

SOURCE: Agency For Public Information (API)