BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, December 06, 2022 (SKNIS) – During a brief ceremony held today, Tuesday, December 06, 2022, the Taiwan Technical Mission in St. Kitts and Nevis presented three thousand, five hundred (3,500) tissue-cultured pineapple slips to the Ministry of Agriculture.
The presentation to the Ministry was made by the Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to St. Kitts and Nevis, His Excellency Michael Lin at the Ministry of Agriculture’s Needsmust Farm along the Kim Collins Highway.
“This actually symbolizes the robust cooperation between our two countries and also the long-term commitment to our allies in the Caribbean,” Ambassador Lin said.
His Excellency Lin further noted that the tissue cultured process is a more advanced method of growing plants as it makes the selected plants more tolerant to diseases and harmful insects.
“We are very happy to share our experience and technology with St. Kitts and Nevis and I hope that I will definitely see maybe early next year the fruit of pineapple on sale, and we could also help this country to face the challenges of food security and nutrition in the post-pandemic era,” the Ambassador added.
The generous donation was accepted by the Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Samal Duggins, who expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Ambassador Lin and the staff of the Taiwan Technical Mission.
“What you have brought in terms of experience and technology to our country from yours has been immeasurable. We stand here on a site again that was previously donated by your country and your mission, and so we see a lot of our advancement tied to your support, and today is another step in the right direction as we welcome these 3,500 pineapple plants to our production cycle,” Minister Duggins commented.
A similar donation of two thousand pineapple slips was made to the Department of Agriculture on Nevis in November this year.
Present at the brief handing-over ceremony were the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Miguel Flemming, Acting Director of Agriculture, Ms. Jeanelle Kelly, extension officers in the Department of Agriculture, and officials from the Taiwan Technical Mission in St. Kitts and Nevis.
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