The first batch of Tabasco pepper seedlings were planted at Fashies Estate Newtown Ground on November 6, 2024, marking a significant turning point in St. Kitts and Nevis’s progress towards economic stability and self-reliance.
The government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, achieved a landmark by planting the first batch of Tabasco pepper seedlings in St. Kitts and Nevis and formally launching the Department of Agriculture Tabasco Pepper Experimental Plot Project.
The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the well-known international brand TABASCO are collaborating on this project.
The partnership is a component of the Sustainable Economic Expansion and Diversification (SEED) initiative. This progressive government program aims to move the island from relying on the Citizenship by Investment Program towards local food production and sustainable agriculture.
The data indicates that the government uses SEED to diversify the economy, lessen dependency on outside revenue streams, and increase food security for future generations.
Furthermore, the country’s agriculture sector, which is at the heart of the SEED program, would benefit greatly from this partnership with this internationally recognised brand. In addition to its well-known hot sauce, TABASCO offers access to global markets and knowledge of sustainable farming methods.
PM Drew said during the short ceremony at the Fashies Estate that thanks to this project, St. Kitts and Nevis may now anticipate higher agricultural output, the development of new jobs, and a more resilient economy that can withstand pressures from the global economy.
He explained, “This idea of having Tabasco here began with a conversation with our Special Envoy, Her Excellency Hadiya Claxton, who would have introduced us to Tabasco herself and the Minister of Agriculture.”
At that time, the Prime Minister and others decided that St. Kitts and Nevis might be a producer or grower of this pepper. The Federation can now cultivate it and send it back to Louisiana for processing into the final product, pepper sauce.
He stressed that St. Kitts and Nevis will undoubtedly proceed on the correct path as a result of this important collaboration. “St Kitts and Nevis being a part of that ecosystem and having a partnership with such a global institution speaks volumes,” the statement reads. We know Tobasco is the most widely distributed pepper sauce in the world.”
As the island will be selling back to the corporation that will bring foreign exchange to St. Kitts and Nevis, PM Drew stated that this will undoubtedly create many jobs. According to him, it would facilitate people’s sustainable shift from one field of labour to another.
He said, “This can help to pay for our workers here in St Kitts and Nevis, reducing the burden on the state, especially in our Step program, and creating jobs so that people can help to establish themselves and their lives.”
Speaking to the crowd, Agriculture Minister Samal Duggins referred to the initiative as revolutionary. He expressed his pride in being a member of the A-Team and a cabinet that prioritises St. Kitts and Nevis’s interests.
He pointed out that this is more than simply peppers; it’s about the potential for a robust, self-sufficient economy based on the soil. He also thanked the Prime Minister for pursuing this goal and supporting St. Kitts and Nevis’s sustainable economic development.
