The Tribune

North Andros-based onion farmers are fearful that COVID-19 restrictions could result in their bumper harvest going to waste.

The Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC), in a statement yesterday, said farmers are worried that continuing restaurant and hotel closures, combined with ongoing nightly curfews and other COVID-19 restrictions, will result in much-reduced demand and a substantial market over-supply.

The government agency added that the North Andros packing house has in recent weeks received hundreds of sacks of onions that had to be graded and prepared for shipping to New Providence produce exchange for sale.

BAIC said it had reassured the farmers that “every effort is being made to ensure their produce is being graded and shipped to New Providence in a timely manner, so that wastage can be brought to a bare minimum”. It urged the famers to show “patience as efforts are underway to resolve their grievances”.