Barbados faces a significant setback in its campaign against soaring food prices following a major agricultural theft that forced authorities to delay a crucial price reduction initiative. The Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC) has revealed that the theft of approximately 10,000 pounds of yams from its St. John farmland has compromised plans to make the staple food more affordable for consumers.
Dr. Claire Durant, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of BADMC, confirmed that the stolen produce, valued at nearly $70,000, was specifically cultivated as part of a strategic intervention to combat escalating market prices. Current retail rates for yams have reached concerning levels of $6-7 per pound, creating financial strain for many Barbadian households.
The corporation had targeted a ambitious price reduction to approximately $2.50 per pound by 2026 through increased domestic production. However, the substantial theft has necessitated a recalibration of this timeline, with consumers now unlikely to see meaningful price relief before the conclusion of the year’s first quarter.
This incident forms part of a disturbing pattern of praedial larceny across the island. Recent statistics indicate approximately 50,000 pounds of yams were stolen during the Christmas and New Year period alone, including a separate 20,000-pound theft from veteran farmer Richard Armstrong’s private holdings in St. John.
Dr. Durant emphasized the disproportionate impact on smaller agricultural operators, noting that while the BADMC can absorb such losses, individual farmers face potentially catastrophic consequences from similar thefts.
In response to the escalating crisis, the corporation has implemented enhanced security measures including increased police patrols and community vigilance initiatives. The BADMC has also introduced a numbered receipt book system to improve supply chain transparency, enabling better verification of produce legitimacy throughout the distribution network.
Agriculture Minister Indar Weir has issued stern warnings to both vendors and consumers, emphasizing that stolen produce inevitably enters commercial channels and urging heightened due diligence across the sector. Meanwhile, the vending community, represented by the Barbados Association of Retailers, Vendors, and Entrepreneurs (BARVEN), has rejected suggestions of widespread complicity, maintaining that most vendors operate through legal sourcing channels.