Barbados has initiated a significant enforcement operation targeting agricultural produce vendors, implementing the Protection of Agricultural Products Act three years after its legislative passage. This development comes amid growing demands for specialized law enforcement resources to combat the escalating problem of praedial larceny across the island nation.
Deputy Chief Agriculture Officer Barney Callender confirmed that police officers have commenced systematic inspections of vendors, requiring them to present proper documentation and receipts verifying the legitimate sourcing of their agricultural products. “The receipt verification represents merely the initial phase of our enforcement protocol,” Callender explained. “When officers suspect documentation irregularities, they possess full authority to conduct deeper investigations, including tracing produce back to its original farming source.”
The enforcement initiative gained momentum following several high-profile agricultural theft cases that captured public attention earlier this year. Particularly notable was the comprehensive theft of an entire quarter-acre cantaloupe crop from Christ Church farmer Veronica Garnes, an incident that generated substantial public outrage when reported by Barbados TODAY in July.
Callender praised the strengthened provisions within the 2022 legislation, which substantially increases penalties for agricultural theft to include fines reaching $100,000, imprisonment terms up to five years, or both combinations—a dramatic enhancement from the previous maximum penalty of $5,000. Despite these strengthened legal measures, Callender acknowledged significant implementation challenges, primarily stemming from limited police resources and competing law enforcement priorities.
The agriculture official pointed to Jamaica’s Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordination Unit as an exemplary model for effective enforcement. Established in 2015, Jamaica’s specialized unit combines administrative oversight from the Ministry of Agriculture with dedicated enforcement capabilities through the Jamaica Constabulary Force, additionally collaborating with agricultural organizations to comprehensively address produce theft island-wide.
Callender revealed that many Barbadian farmers have become increasingly reluctant to report theft incidents due to perceived inadequate response from authorities. “One farmer explicitly stated his discontinuation of reporting thefts because previous responses proved insufficient,” Callender noted. “Effective police response is essential for accurately quantifying losses and understanding the full scope of this criminal activity.”
Concerningly, Callender indicated that agricultural thieves are increasingly arming themselves, recognizing the confrontational nature of their operations. Beyond immediate economic impacts, he emphasized that praedial larceny poses substantial threats to national food security and public health, particularly when stolen produce enters markets without proper pesticide clearance periods being observed.
The Ministry of Agriculture is exploring additional support mechanisms for farmers, including potential rebates for security systems that can cost agricultural operators up to $80,000 annually. Callender also stressed the necessity of incorporating larger establishments like supermarkets into the verification framework, ensuring they maintain proper sourcing documentation for all purchased agricultural products.
This enforcement initiative follows a high-level praedial larceny forum convened at Kensington Oval in August, where stakeholders including the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture and police representatives gathered to develop comprehensive strategies addressing agricultural theft.