 Hello again, St. Lucia and welcome to the program, Agriculture on the Move. I am Philip Sidney, your host. Today we are continuing the promotion of our Banana Expo 2022, which is going to be held on the 6th of May in Cassarise, the Contagion Park, and it starts at 10 and it ends at 6. The theme is Figla, See Sonutut, and we are highlighting the culinary aspect of bananas. And as you have heard me say many, many times, we have a tagline in the ministry, eat fresh, St. Lucia's best. That is we need to consume much, much more of what we grow locally and it's imperative even now with the high cost of groceries at the supermarket. Commodities are very expensive, shipping has become more expensive and we all know why. The government can do so much, but we have to do for ourselves in the little communities what we grow, value added, just do what we can, government will give support to ensure that we can produce for ourselves, we can eat what we grow, we can produce the products that is given the green light and so we have to do it well, nothing substandard. And that is why today with me are two participants who are going to be at that expo and we have Luisa Anthony who is the president of the St. Lucia Network of Railway Men, the Babodo cluster, and of course we have Chef Orlando who is well known worldwide who is the owner of Orlando's restaurant. Welcome to the program. Thank you. With the tagline I just mentioned in the ministry, eat fresh St. Lucia's best. From your standpoint, do you think we are doing enough? From my look, not from my standpoint, we are not doing enough. Why do you think we are not doing enough and what do you think that we should be doing? I am saying that we still have a lot of wasted fruits and vegetables, that's why I think we are not doing enough. And I think that we should at least put up some more factories where we can at least use our products. So you think government should have more agro processing labs all over the country? I think so. Yes. What do you think, Orlando? Yeah, well I think ultimately what you are saying is correct, thank you for the opportunity. I actually think there is a lot more we can do, I mean we think the government are here to support, so realistically we need to tap into the support but also get our people to understand the value of using local, supporting local. As a chef I find it interesting that we don't do enough with our local produce and I think this conversation is really critically important at this time. What's going on globally, there's going to be more challenges coming. So I think it's a great opportunity for us to really look at our own grown gardens, maybe get support from government to subsidise in terms of cost factors so we can produce more in our gardens. I think that's the way forward. But what are the challenges that you all face as you and the group when it comes to agro processing? I know the government has assist you all a lot by giving you all a place to actually do your production, but when it comes to your marketing, give us an overall view of what kind of strengths do you all have? Because we started, it's not long since we started going big because, but what happened is that the marketing, we are still working on the marketing. So where do you market yourself? We market my selling to the individuals, for now, the reason why we are doing that is because we are not hasab standard certified, so we couldn't go into the market. Are you all hasab certified now? Yes, we are. How many members do you have in the Babylon cluster? We have 13. And then you know of the Miku cluster, what are many? No, I'm not sure. But give us some of the main produce that you all do. Our main products are the flour. But the banana flour. We have the breadfoot, we have the plantains, sweet potato, cassava, macamu. That's great. So in addition to that, what are the products you do? We do our local fruits, we try to use our local fruits so we have all the local fruits. So if you're going to have bigger fruitcake, you don't have to use imported fruits to bake your fruitcake. Okay, very good. I'm glad to hear that actually. And from your standpoint, Orlando, from your restaurant standpoint, are you getting enough of the local fruits to do what you want to do? Well, I think sometimes we miss San Luis in the Caribbean that we have seasons. And I think the biggest challenge is for us as the chefs and restaurant owners is to identify to our guests that the season is not all year round. So sometimes you get mangoes and abundance. Sometimes you get orange in abundance. Sometimes you get certain things in abundance. So I think there's a lot of education as well. I think there was definitely an education post of welcome to the Caribbean and this was what was available. Just because the sun shines every day doesn't mean we can get it every day. So I think they realized one of the concerns there. But I would just come to your point on your products, which I love about your products is that the people who come to my restaurant who can't take flour or gluten-free. So I'm hoping that your flour or gluten-free. So they said now we can start using that in different ways. I think there's a nice idea as a marketing in terms of making products with your flours so you can see how they compare next to a regular flour. You know what I'm saying? Because I mean, there's also a lot of chefs who say, you know, I don't make a cake. But I don't know what the difference of the weight when you're making the flour, make the cake with a gluten-free product like a potato flour or a breadfruit flour. So I think that's critically important as well, start testing the market and maybe giving us some chefs some free bags so we can play around with it. You know what I mean? You'd be surprised. You'd be surprised. I mean, the critical part for business like yourself is getting people to use your products. You know, that's the critical part. You can do the best product in a way where no one knows about it. It's just a product on the shelf. So I'll give you an example. Throw some my way, throw some restaurants and we'll play with it. Yes. And you said something about when the fruits are in a bundle. What we plan to do is to have more freezing space. Absolutely. More freezing space. So when it's not in season, we already have frozen ones. That's great to see. I mean, mangos to me, even the islands, I mean, I look forward to one day we do a mango festival. That's the one next in line. It has to be because I've been here so many years and I see mangos fall. I see mangos waste. I mean, my God, the amount of mangos, oh my goodness. And then later on, the hoteliers import the mango. It's crazy. You know what I'm saying? Maybe your next thing is to start doing mango production. That will be the way to go forward. Do you have a problem getting local produce or do you also go to the supermarkets and get the agro-processed product? Oh, no, no, no. One thing for Orlando's restaurant, what I've been, I pride myself and it's used as much, I would say 95% of my products is local. And right now, since COVID, there is no menu at my restaurant. You come to my restaurant and I'm cooking for you. So what I do, I go and see what's available and then I create a menu from that. So I have no challenges to say, well, I can't do that. When you come to my restaurant, it is a surprise. It is like welcome to your home and what's in the pot, I'm cooking. But I do appreciate your point. There are some challenges. There are some basic stuff you may constantly need. But generally for me, as a restaurateur, I'm one of the few people who can I know I can get something. If today I have a menu and I do green banana soup, I'll go and buy green banana. I can't find green banana, I'll do bed food soup. I can't bed food, I can't I'll do soup, you know what I mean? So there's always something available. But I mean, but that's quite a challenge to me as a restaurateur because I'm not sure everyone can do that that way. You know, they have a plan of action. But I, but at the moment, I am not one difficult with the ingredients. I'm using whatever I've got in an open and creative way, you know what I'm saying? Do you think we have enough ingredients on Island that is sufficient for you to do what you include in your menu? Well, for me personally, if we talk about overall, let's take St Lucia's or we are an island tourism destination. So somehow we've actually invited guests to come to our home, which is the home of the island. So what we now need to do is start being more creative with the local ingredients as opposed to say, well, come to St Lucia to get cauliflower. Which we import, you know what I'm saying? But in fairness to the I would love us to be more activated in terms of more producers, you know, I mean, more ingredients around the community, around the islands. I'm looking at St Lucia as a place that, you know, there's certain things in abundance and then it goes to waste. You guys give it away. I mean, literally, there's times cucumbers and in part of cucumber. And then then a month later, you can't find no cucumber. So I think there is definitely an interest to get that in the end. Agro-possession comes in. Yes, you know what I'm saying? But also I think our agriculture need to look at the timing of the year and how do we make sure that we have things consistently through the year? You know, there's things that tomatoes should be every year. We shouldn't run out of tomatoes. We shouldn't run out of cucumbers. We shouldn't run out of certain things which which hotels demand because unless we have a way to grow consistently, we're going to be constantly importing, you know what I'm saying? And I do believe, I mean, down the road and I'm talking about food security. We need to be mindful of what's going on in Europe. That food security conversation is just me between. I'm telling you that between now, we're now in April, May, September, October. There's I feel we're going to have a challenge in products, you know? Because we find our flower. Yes, a lot of mothers buy it for the babies. They use it for the baby. Baby feel. Yes. OK, OK, all right. You understand? Yeah, that's good. But do you go on the market shelves to see what is imported based on that you could give an idea of what you all can do? Yes, we do. OK. Yes, because we see when we go on the market shelves, there's a lot of things that we can do that I'm seeing that they're importing. So what you have, you're taking advantage of that. I mean, this is what you should be doing. Yeah, because I have not seen this solution that we have for all women products. As I said, we do not on the market shelves. We're not so right. So how soon are we expecting that? We are planning to have a tasting. Invite them. For the show. And then after that, we're going to. Yes, that's what we're working on after the banana festival. Because we are working on the banana festival right now. Beautiful. Now, well, that takes me right into the banana festival. Well, it's a banana expo. Expo, Expo. OK, because we're looking more at what the derivatives from the bananas, what can you do with it, especially from the culinary aspect and also from a by-product standpoint? So you're coming from the by-product standpoint. What it is that you are having planned for the banana expo? For the banana expo? You don't have to give all your secrets. We'll be having a booth that's just display what we can do from the banana, from the flower rights, everything. Oh, right. From the flower, whatever we can do. Yeah, we have some things coming up. OK, great. And this will be just a display booth. It's a display booth. A display booth and the other booth. Well, if you can, we have some things that will be on sale. Yeah, but there are some things that's just displayed for now. Yeah, what you can do with the banana. Beautiful, beautiful. From everything, flower to the blossom, right, right, right. Wow, OK, we're looking forward to that. The blossom I like, the end. Before we continue, I want to just do for a break. You're watching our reculture and the move. Stay tuned, we'll be back soon. Don't go away. Welcome back to the program, Agriculture on the Move. And this, of course, is the banana segment. We are looking at our banana expo 2022. And, of course, we have Orlando, Chef Orlando. And, of course, Luisa, from the barbano cluster of the Senutian Rural Women. I've heard what you have said, Luisa, that's why I know you don't want to give out your secrets. You know, but hold that back still. I'll come back to you. Orlando, what is your plan for us? I have planned love, love the banana, love our green golds. You know, the thing is, you know, we have a perfect opportunity with this festival to really profile banana, give banana that profile, that represent the hustle solutions. And I think it's a great initiative. And the idea for us is really to give a look with demonstration of the creative ways to use banana. So that so and I've been doing it for a very long time. Like I've been doing some green banana, green banana, softened soup, you know what I'm saying? You know, green banana cake, you know, I mean, we're not going to take a cake. We're talking about taking the green banana, boiling it, mashing it, making it into shapes, into really a calorie into it, you know? You know, we'll be giving a little demonstration on how to be creative with good banana. And not just green banana, ripe banana, mac and blue, taking the idea of banana to a level. I think the idea of banana is just eating the ripe banana is so much missed the point. So we can do so much more. And I think this opportunity is a great for persons who feel banana should be used. I actually really would love us to encourage as well that, you know, in the UK, where I'm from originally, we give kids an apple a day. We should give kids a banana a day. You know, I mean, I think this is a nice program to start. In fact, as you mentioned, I just want to stick a point because I have been hopping on that point for a while. It's for years now. And most so the school feeding program. Absolutely. Intensified. I told my minister this time around, they have to consider in the school feeding program a banana a day per child. Per child, absolutely. And I'll tell you something. If that happens, there'll be more money going into the farmer's pocket. Absolutely. I actually think what they could do with it, I mean, and I will not be giving government the idea. I mean, I'm sure they have enough ideas. But I think imagine when you, when the kids arrive at school, you greet them in good morning with a banana when they come in, when they come in the school. You know what I'm saying? You know, at the end of the day, I have to say to you, I look around, Saint Lucia and our obesity is getting a bit out of hand. Everyone's blaming COVID. And I appreciate myself. I mean, we're at a COVID moment, but you know, we have young people who are just somehow not, don't look at how selfy as. And I think what we could do is help these programs, you know, start and get away from the pizzas and everything else like that. Now, looking pizza is great in occasions, but at the end of the day, we have such amazing ingredients that we can do with, you know what I mean? And I think the banana program, though, is a good starting program. If we get kids from the young age who start to appreciate in banana, when they get to another age today, enjoy banana. Today is National Banana Day. We are the island of Saint Lucia. We should be shared with every supermarket. I was in the supermarket yesterday saying, guys, why don't you put in a big sign, and say, after National Banana Day, you should have everybody going to supermarket today, should we buy a banana? You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? Yeah, guys, you see, what I would have, I would love to happen on the 6th, is everybody in Saint Lucia for lunch should be a banana dish. Yes, absolutely. You understand? We can have our own banana and banana day in Saint Lucia. Of course, and I think we should. We don't have to tight in with the international banana. No, we don't have to, you know. I think we can, you know, put in our own thing. Yeah, identify a day. And do that. There are not things you can do with banana. Yeah, a lot of things. And the other thing to go back to the school children, I mean, and I'm hoping this time around, I have had a little conversation with the Ministry of Education. These kids, they do tremendous things, you know, man. Oh, yeah. You know, you have about 20 schools participating in this event. I'll tell you something. This time, it should not go unnoticed because I'm going to take photos. I'm going to document this and create a recipe book from the school standpoint. Well, I think you could actually take it on another level, actually. We could actually have kids cook off with banana, you know, the competition with bananas and see what they can do with banana. I mean, you know, you do a list of products and the banana has to be in there. Yes. You can say what you can do with some remaining. We did that with cassava. Of course, yes, sir. That thing went... I remember, I remember I was going to just... Right, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, and sadly, we never documented that. Wow, wow. You know, and that's the recipes. I am sure they have it. Yeah. I'm hoping, over time, we can have a... to put all of that together. Yeah. You know, a collective thing from the school standpoint. Absolutely. So each school could have their own. Yes, yes, yes, yes. You know, we need to document these things, especially that has child. Yeah. I keep lamenting on that. And I'm also appreciative of that sweet potato ice cream. Ice cream. Yes, yes, yes. You know. Well, I think we have people with creative ideas and we do not harness it. We do not support it. It's a person has to run their own mile before you catch them. You know what I'm saying? So some... I think programs like this, the banana programs and it's all like this, are a great opportunity to showcase what people are, solutions best. Right. We have these red bananas when they get overripe and there's nothing much... Oh, absolutely. When they get overripe. Oh, jam. But then you remember... I'm sure you remember when I was a child. To roast banana. Yeah. Hello. I did roast banana right now. Roast banana. No, no, no. I mean, in the peel. Yes. Open it out. Hello. I just do it. You know. And then you can put a little honey over it. Yeah. If you want to. I look at one of them. Listen to me. I just did one recently. I just take the banana and put a little rum over it. Right. A little spiced rum. I caramelize it. I mean. And it makes it so... I mean. But again, the problem for us, we all are responsible. That we do not... We don't appreciate our own. We're apathy important. Exactly. And this is why I'm talking about the result that I will stick up in there for our prime minister. That is exactly what he was seeing. Change. And going to make the statement and they try to ridicule him. Absolutely. But it's ours. We're shipping it out. Which is... You know. And then we're not consuming it. Absolutely. And then you say it back to us. Of course. So why can't we appreciate what we grow? Well, it's easy. And I don't get into the politics of conversation. People go there too much. But I think once elections are over, move on. We are solutions. That's move on. That's move on. Exactly. So the banana conversation, I love it. And I jumped on it because I would do it a long time anyway. So I've been... And I said it to school, you know. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I carry bananas. Yeah. You know, as a youngster. There you go. Banana production for the economy was the end thing then. The goals. And there is still an opportunity for marketing of bananas. Yeah. Locally, it's a big market. Absolutely. Originally, it was also a big market. For us, you know, internationally. Well, I think, you know, our event on the 6th of May is a great opportunity to sell bananas in a different way. In a different way. Yes. In a more creative way. Yes. To sell the banana vehicle. Yep. Don't lose it. Yes. As I was saying, when you have the bananas over, right? All you have to do is dry it up and you have some nice sweets. Oh, yeah. Wow, wow, wow. You just dry it up. Oh, yeah. And the school trend can use that. It's very, very... Yes. In fact, one of the things, instead of... And like I'm selling people, children have a lot of influence on their parents. They go to the supermarket and it's Apple Day One, Apple Day One, Apple Day One. You know? So I'm saying... Yeah. If you have, you know, the local products, that you have value added to it. Like you were saying, you have the banana sweets. Yeah. Yeah. Come on, they will go for that. They will go for that. Yeah, absolutely. Well, I think, again, it's education. And everything is well, sometimes I go to the supermarket, I'm not criticizing the market, but I go to the supermarket and we need to stop saying that they put people together in ingredients. You know, I don't have something you go to the supermarket. You see international ingredients and you see... And not only that, it's at the bottom. Thank you. That's my point. So again... We do not highlight ours at the very top. Exactly. So something is wrong with us. That's right. I mean, sorry to say. Yeah. And that's how they go on for years. Yeah, yeah. So when we are... So when you're stacking the supermarkets, when you're stacking the shelves, do not put it down below. Exactly. We are on top of everybody else. We are... This is us. So... Our bananas in the UK... I don't know. I got last year and year before. Yes, it's the most expensive banana on the supermarket. But it finishes first. Hello. Yeah. We must not... We must not compare how about the expense. We are the best quality. Yeah, exactly. And quality costs. Of course. And that's where we falter. That's it. Because some farmers, you know, play the fool. Yeah, we play the fool. And right now, we have to take it back to the level we're supposed to. Yeah. I always reverse back to Blue Mountain Coffee. Blue Mountain... Anyway, the Blue Mountain Coffee and any other mountain is an expensive product. How is it possible that Jamaica can sell Blue Mountain Coffee, Small Island, and you have Colombo Coffee and you pay it? Yeah. We need to take our banana, need to be a prime banana. Not everyone can afford it. That's right. We are where we are. Yes. And that's what it is. And you want the best? You want a BMW? You want a... You want a banana BMW? I think it's marketing to Orlando. That's right, yeah. Because I remember some years ago, before the passing of what's his name, Michael Jackson, and I was telling them, let's give Michael Jackson to do just a 30-second add-on of our banana. You'll see how far and fast our banana would grow. All right, absolutely. So it's marketing is key. Yeah, marketing is key. I will tell you, and I'm just going to put a pin in that conversation, that advert I did last week on Food Network. Right. Today I finished seven, six days today. Do you know it at 98,000 viewers? Exactly. The right platform. The right platform. 98,000 views in six days promoting St. Lucia. Not just our bananas, but promoting St. Lucia and our local ingredients. Correct. So that is, of course, a tremendous opportunity to profile our ingredients. Mm-hmm. And we must always stand firm on our ingredients. Don't let no one put our ingredients down. Stand up for our ingredients, you know what I mean? Mm-hmm. And also, before we finish, I want to make sure we stand up for our food vendors. Yes. Our food vendors and our markets. Yeah. One of the things that I really want us to do, how many of us look at our local markets? Our local market vendors need to be supported. And I'm going to start going around the market and looking at the lifted market. Maybe we should tell the competition in St. Lucia. Right. So we get people to start taking care of the markets. Mm-hmm. Because people don't go to markets now, they go to supermarkets because they feel more comfortable going to supermarket and pick up the shelf. Right. But of course, if we start getting our market vendors and making them more looking more clean, more efficient, more organized, you may find them going back to the markets. And the other thing too, I mean, the value added products, especially, okay, for bananas, you will not get them by the market, I mean, it should be also together with the fresh fruits that you see. So that you would see what you can do. Exactly. I can vouch for my super vendor market guys. They have the bananas. Every time I go there, they have banana planting because I'm going to chat about my super people. Yeah. What do you mean? And you know what? What sometimes it really grinds me. You will attend a workshop or any of these activities and for the break. Yeah. Apple. I know, I know. That's the thing. Let me tell you, it gets to me. I would go to. Not a banana. I go to events. Cheese. Back in time, I used to go to these trays of food, of strawberries and raspberries. In the St. Lucia man. I didn't want to tell you where I was. In the St. Lucia. You know what I'm saying? Raspberries. What do you see? Not a slice of mango. Or guava. Or guava. But you see, the problem is actually it's easy. We were allowed to become easy. We were allowed social media and social life. Social food. We don't care enough about local food. Any final words from you, Lisa? My final word is that we're hoping that everybody comes on the 6th, especially to see our disney booth. Great. Orlando. Well, I want to say thank you for the opportunity and come down and join us on the 6th of May. I want to big up our food vendors and our food market and all our suppliers are going to be there giving this wonderful support to this marketing. And of course, I also want to thank the Prime Minister for putting it in the circle of conversation. Yes. Yes. In fact, that's what drew us to what we had. That's my point. So we want to thank the Prime Minister for bringing it in the circle of conversation. That's what it is. Thank you, Orlando, for being here. And of course, Louise, thank you for being here. And I'm looking forward. I'm really looking forward. In fact, you have missed a life eating already. Yes. Thanks again. And before we end, I just want to say in the constitution parking castries start at 10 o'clock and it ends at 6. Lots of activities, live cooking competition, also entertainment galore. And trust me, you should not miss that activity. I'm Philip Sidney. Goodbye and see you again. Agriculture on the move. Agriculture on the move. Agriculture on the move. Agriculture on the move. Agriculture on the move. Can you take a picture? Harry, come on here, boy. The ladies are excited. I got him mad. But these old kids are so excited. Yes, there's this mantelus. Oh, and then he wants a photo taken. Yes. Yes, the kids are excited. They're excited. They're excited.