Arrowroot farmers to get $426,000 in income support

Close to 250 local arrowroot farmers are to receive another round of income support from the Government for the loss of earnings since the eruption of La Soufriere volcano in April, 2021.

Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves gave this assurance when he spoke on NBC radio’s face to face programme on Wednesday July 12, 2024, explaining that Cabinet had taken the decision which would be of benefit to the farmers.

He said the sum of EC$426,000 will be paid out to 242 arrowroot farmers as a form of income support for their losses since 2021.

The arrowroot factory at Owia was destroyed in the eruptions, and a new factory being constructed at Orange Hill is not yet completed, so arrowroot farmers have been without that source of income since then.

In this round of income support, each farmer will receive 25% of what they earned during their last sale of arrowroot rhizomes prior to the eruptions.

In 2022, the government paid out over $800,000 to arrowroot farmers who were unable to reap their crop as a result of the eruptions, and for the damage done to the factory.