New River Farmers produce ½ million pounds of onions, potatoes; over 200,000 pounds of carrots, cabbages, watermelons

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The New River Farmers Cooperative Society based along the New River in Orange Walk in the area of San Carlos and Indian Church produces carrots, potatoes and onions in an area of 1,500 acres of land.

“Onions, potatoes, and carrots, we did well because we’ve sold all,” said Maximiliano Hernandez, secretary of the New River Farmers Cooperative Society, during the visit of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise Jose Abelardo Mai on Friday, May 14.

“Our production is good enough. In the last months of the year, we have had better production. The red soil here helps in the color of the carrots.”

Hernandez said the cooperative founded in January 1984 has 38 members which include six women.

They have access to 1,500 acres, 200 being used for residential purposes.

Hernandez said that after ten years they ventured into habanero peppers and did well, but later their concentration turned to carrots, potatoes, and onions.

“The consumer wants a carrot that has good flavour,” Hernandez said while adding that they have been testing about six varieties to see which ones work best in the San Carlos area of Orange Walk.

Hernandez said that this year they’ve produced 500,000 pounds of onions on 25 acres.

Their potato production reached 450,000 pounds on 30 acres.

Carrots returned 200,000 pounds from a cultivation of 10 acres.

They also produced 200,000 pounds of watermelon from 10 acres as well.

They also cultivated 210,000 pounds of cabbage from seven acres.

180,000 ears of green corn were harvested from 10 acres.

Their tomato production utilized 3 acres for 54,000 pounds. They also produce 30,000 pounds of hot peppers on 2 acres of land.

He said that because of the national overproduction of tomatoes farmers had to sell their product for as low as $0.10 a pound. Quite a bit of it was wasted he said.

Hot pepper sold for $1.25 a pound.

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