“This weekend there will be adverts in the newspapers identifying 4,000 acres of agriculture land that will be available for lease for the general public," he said.
"This distribution will now allow small farmers to get involved in growing more food for our country,” he added.
Bharath was speaking at Orange Grove, Tacarigua at the launch of a commercial large farm operated by Technology Farms Limited (TFL). The land which comprises 98 acres (40 hectares) will be used to grow hot peppers, cucumbers, edible soybeans, cantaloupe and purple cabbage.
The minister pointed out that in 16 years since 1995 the agriculture ministry distributed only 1,500 acres of land for agricultural development. That's less than 100 acres a year.
Bharath said his ministry will almost triple that immediately by giving out 4,000 acres of land to people who want to grow food.
He said anyone could be successful as farmers, noting that TFL is an example of that.
“They have taken a risk, risk is what brings reward, that is what we are trying to encourage the farmers that risk brings reward," he said.
"We want people to understand there is nothing wrong with having a successful farmer, we have successful farmers we will have successful agriculture.
“We want to show that agriculture has opportunity, in agriculture you could become wealthy,” he said.
Director of TFL Balliram Maharaj pledged to to bring down food prices.
“We may consider setting up small farmers to assist them in selling the product. I am also calling on all policy makers to support that the government consider bringing labour in order to assist agriculture industry in ensuring food security,” he said.
The TFL farm is one of several large farms the ministry is handing out to private companies to help bring down the billion-dollar food import bill. In August the minister launched a 200-acre rice farm in Warrenville, Central Trinidad.
Read the story: Bharath launches 200-acre rice farm in central Trinidad
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