World Food Day celebrations are moving away from the traditional sale of plants and produce to becoming one of the largest platforms for Tobago entrepreneurs to capture the attention of the local market and showcase their products.
This year’s event is being held at the Parade Grounds adjacent to the Dwight Yorke Stadium for two days, yesterday October 16 and will also run today.
It boasts of being one of the biggest in terms of participants.
The venue is organised into sections with displays of a wide range of ground provision, ornamental plants, craft and hand made organic self-care and beauty products and local food and drinks.
With the added competition each entrepreneur sought to find ways to stand out.
Plant shops carried the familiar seedlings such as the short-term garden herbs, tomatoes, lettuce, and pak choi, however, Perfect Start Agro Shop was a major talking point with a white eggplant. Entrepreneur Terryl Benoit gave an update on this year’s event.
“So far things are going okay, fast movers are tomatoes, kale, seasoning and people are showing a lot of interest in the white Melongene.”
The exotic wildlife section was a major attraction for a large number of students at the event.
Traditional favourites like snakes, iguanas and wildlife were upstaged by new exhibits, which include Tobago’s only Polish Chicken, Pheasants and Japanese Bantam Chickens.
In terms of Agro-processing LeeBee’s Delicacies said she has found a way to add a healthy spin to traditional Tobago sweets.
“My products include traditional sweets and jams which are all sugar-free. I also make other products such as candies from the watermelon rind and a mango fruit roll,” she said.
Ornamental plants were also in high demand.
According to Curtis Archie of Flowers Fantasy Limited, this year belongs to the Cacti and Succulents.
“Christmas is around the corner and persons are taking the opportunity to get their homes ready. There is a big demand for Succulents especially the grafted ones that may cost a little more, they require a little more care but plant lovers are embracing the challenge.”
“Jones” of Pembroke said World Food Day is a farmer’s dream because the public comes to get the best Tobago has to offer.
“I have the largest and best quality of ground provision, dasheen cassava all grown right here in Tobago, but so far the sweet potatoes are moving the fastest but the others are not doing too bad.”