25 Belize District farmers attend fruit tree propagation workshop conducted by the Belize District Department of Agriculture

Published by BBNTEAM at February 23, 2023

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Posted: Thursday, February 23, 2023. 5:55 pm CST.

Photo Credit: MAFSE
By Rubén Morales Iglesias: Twenty-five Belize District fruit producers on Thursday attended a fruit tree propagation workshop conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise (MAFSE) through the Belize District Department of Agriculture at the Randolph Griffith farm in the Santana community located on the old Northern Highway.

The training, conducted and coordinated by John Sanchez of the Stann Creek Department of Agriculture and Extension Officers Marvin Blades and Noel Ramos, is part of the MAFSE’s effort to build capacity of growers in asexual propagation practices (budding and grafting).

“The objective of the department is to promote crop diversification and to increase year-round availability of fruits promoting food security,” MAFSE said.

The Ministry said fruits that are being given priority are soursop, pineapple, pitahaya (dragon fruit), and coconuts for the export market.

“The growers familiarized themselves with a range of propagation techniques of fruit trees, such as the use of air-layering in lychee, guava and grafting techniques in soursop, mango, avocado, and sapodilla,” MAFSE said.

“They were also introduced to aspects of fruit tree management (pruning, fertilization, irrigation, pest management) was part of the day training.”

Through the training the Agriculture Ministry seeks to show the farmers the advantages of the techniques to fruit production techniques including developing resistance to certain insects and diseases, improving performance in various soil drainage types, and the use of dwarf rootstocks, many of which bear fruit early in a fruit tree’s life.

The Belize District Department of Agriculture’s Tropical Fruit Program is designed to assist farmers/fruit growers with all aspects of production. The Department said other information and workshops will be offered periodically during the year focusing on a variety of topics dealing with the management and best practices of specific fruits.

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