T&T farmers losing $142M annually from praedial larceny

A document endorsed by Caricom Agriculture Ministers at a meeting in Grenada estimates that annual loss resulting from praedial larceny to crop and livestock farmers in the region amounts to US$385 million.

The report, entitled “Analysis of the State of Praedial Larceny in Member States of CARICOM”, was adopted during the Ninth Annual Caribbean Agriculture Week which ended last Friday.

The document noted that in some countries the loss varies between six per cent and 18 per cent of annual agriculture output.

The largest share of the losses come from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Losses for Jamaica amount to approximately US$50 million, which represents six per cent of the country's total agricultural output. 

In Trinidad and Tobago farmers suffer losses annually amountng to US$22.6 million (TT$142 million).

The report said praedial larceny in some states has changed from the petty crime of 20 years ago to an offense resulting in millions in losses which has become a disincentive to investment for agriculture activities.

“It is now organised, being done well coordinately and sold in community markets, it’s now part of organised crime,” head of the Caribbean Agriculture Research Development Institute (CARDI) Dr. Arlington Chesney said.