The Tribune | Tuesday, April 20, 2010
By CHESTER ROBARDS
Business ReporterCHINESE investors interested in cultivating Bahamian land could be interested in exporting what they produce as well as supplying the local market, the executive chairman of the Bahamas Agriculture and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) said yesterday.
According to Edison Key, large-scale farming and animal husbandry are what the potential Chinese investors are interested in undertaking on a large plot of land in Abaco.
Mr Key said jump-starting farming in the Bahamas could be the catalyst to reducing this country's almost $500 million per annum food bill, while creating jobs. However, for now the deal with the Chinese investors is still at the table.
"The Chinese have expressed an interest in doing some agricultural projects here in Abaco," he said.
"They have been in here and, along with my executive team from BAIC, looked at the land and took some soil samples and water samples.
"It is in the talking stages and nothing has been completed yet, but they are looking at doing a very large operation in cattle and milk and vegetable operations."
There has been some criticism over allowing foreign investment in the agriculture sector.
However, government officials say criticism over the planned Chinese investment in the Abaco agricultural sector is premature, since no deal has been signed, or proposal submitted yet.
Lawrence Cartwright, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, said recently: "I understand the group has been doing some work with the BAIC but nothing has been finalised yet. The initial stages have started. Nothing in writing has been put forward to government.
"There are some concerns. Some people from Abaco have spoken to me about their concerns. Any time a huge development is coming into a community it is normal for persons to want to know what is going on, but we cannot say until we know what is going on."
