AMIDST the COVID 19 pandemic, the agriculture sector continues to perform well from the second quarter of this year with moderate growth of 2.1 percent.
This was revealed recently in parliament by the Minister of Finance and Treasury, honourable Harry Kuma.
Kuma told parliament that crude palm oil and copra production have been strong throughout 2020.
Kuma further revealed that copra production has increased compared to 2019 but it is at low levels historically.
The Finance Minister added that the total agriculture production this year is 6.9 percent greater than last year and this is driven by the 58 percent increase in copra production year to date.
“Crude palm oil production was slightly lower than the same period last year by -1.1 percent year to date and lower than the second quarter in 2020,” honourable Harry Kuma stated.
Kuma added that cocoa production, on the other hand, has dropped compared to the second quarter, and it is 4 percent lower than last year.
Agriculture is understandably the backbone of the country, however, much of the agricultural activities are confined to subsistence nature.
80 percent of the population who are rural dwellers are mostly subsistence farmers, they farmed purposely to fend for their households and little of what is left is then sold in the markets.
Large scale farming demands more knowledge, training, and is more machinery driven which to a local farmer it is a question of capacity to deliver.
Rural contribution to the overall agricultural production is based around cocoa and copra both of which are traditional cash crops. Knowledge about these commodities is passed on from one generation to another.
