Meanwhile it has been reported that despite varying degrees of soil acidity on two-acre plots of land allocated to 7,800 former Caroni (1975) Ltd workers… 773 farmers have started cultivating crops at 17 agricultural sites on the former Caroni sugar estate.

Chief Executive Officer of Caroni, Deosaran Jagroo, said yesterday soil scientists and other experts have been working with the new Caroni farmers to treat the land before cultivation.

He said most of the two-acre plots were ready, and farmers were planting sweet potatoes, pigeon peas, hot peppers, melongene, bodi, ochro, sweet peppers, patchoi, pimento, banana, sorrel, celery, pineapple, eddoes, caraili pumpkin, tomato, corn, cucumber, watermelon and lettuce.

Jagroo said seven major crops have been cultivated, including 67 acres of sweet potatoes, 36 acres of cassava, 20 acres of eddoes, 85 acres of pineapple, 15 acres of hot peppers and 14 acres of tomatoes.

He said more farmers were expected to begin cultivation as a result of the current favourable market and the existing leap year weather conditions.