CHARLESTOWN, Nevis — Hotels, restaurants and supermarkets are being urged by Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, to purchase food from local farmers and producers.

During his address at the Nevis Ministry of Agriculture’s annual planning symposium, Agenda 2021, Hon. Brantley recognized Hotelier Richard Lupinacci, proprietor of The Hermitage Inn in Nevis as a friend of local agriculture, commending his business for utilizing local products on their menu. The Premier called on other businesses to emulate this practice.

“We need a renaissance in terms of our thinking, and our approach to ensure that our people support our local farmers,” said Brantley. “This will ensure that farmers do not have the problem that they have complained about of producing and then having their food rot because they have no market.

“My government is very serious about talking to our hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets and saying to them that if product is available locally, that must get first preference.

“I think it’s a very simple thing that the big hotels must follow the example of The Hermitage Inn,” he said. “People coming to visit us and vacation with us would like to taste what we have available on the island – local product; because it is superior in quality.”

Brantley stressed the need for these businesses and the general public to buy local food to support local growers and producers and help keep the economy afloat.

“Our farming community and our farmers are looking to farming as a livelihood,” said Brantley. “They need to feed their families and send their children to school. The only way they can do that is if we as a people buy their produce, and it irks me, I confess, when I see substandard produce in supermarkets being sold ahead of our locally produced fruits and vegetables.”

Brantley said he hopes that in his lifetime the people of Nevis get to a point where they would substitute most of the food items being imported and start buying and eating local produce.

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