Farmers and vendors have welcomed Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s call for Massy Supermarkets to introduce formal contract buy-in arrangements with farmers, backed by a government pledge of $2m a quarter, saying it could offer producers long-sought certainty over markets for their crops.

The Barbados Association of Retailers, Vendors and Entrepreneurs (BARVEN) endorsed the proposal, arguing that guaranteed markets and stronger organisation within the farming community are essential if Barbados is to expand agricultural production, strengthen food security and grow its agro-processing sector.

Speaking at the reopening of the Massy Stores Worthing branch in Christ Church on Monday, following a $46m investment, Mottley urged the supermarket chain to make contract buy-in a formal part of its operations. She argued that farmers could not be expected to increase production based on the mere possibility that supermarkets might purchase their crops.