THE Government has given financial assistance to pineapple farmers of Mainstay/Whyaka, in keeping with a promise by Minister of Agriculture Mr. Robert Persaud. He had given the undertaking four months ago when he visited the Amerindian community to look at several problems facing the crop.
Persaud had encouraged dozens of farmers, last June, to expand pineapple cultivation, so as to increase production and keep the processing factory in operation.
In the drive to make new lands available for the purpose, he had given the farmers the assurance that every acre they cut, burn and clear, the Government will pay for an additional one.
On Thursday last, when Minister Persaud, accompanied by Chairman of Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Mr. Alli Baksh and Vice-Chairman, Mr. Vishnu Samaroo visited and met farmers in the Prince Ville Community Centre, he announced that Government will honour its commitment of support to them.
Farmers who completed work on their plots plus the additional one acre were given an incentive of $30,000 each and others who did not get $15,000, individually.
Persaud said the assistance to Mainstay/Whyaka farmers is to help them get back into large scale pineapple cultivation.
Village Toshoa Yvonne Pearson told the Minister that the pineapple factory is not in operation this crop, because not enough of the fruits are available to keep it working.  
She said Mainstay is now feeling the effects of climate change and reported that AMCAR, the company that secures international markets for the pineapple chunks, wants to reduce the price per pineapple from $90 to $60.
Ms. Pearson said officials only want to talk to farmers through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs  and Minister Persaud agreed the meeting will be facilitated by that Ministry.
However, he assured farmers that his ministry can give technical support to help them find other markets for their pineapples.
Toshoa Pearson declared, though, that the factory will resume operations with or without AMCAR, as dozens of women are now out of work.