Increasing agricultural output should be more of a primary focus than reducing the $500 million food import bill, notes Bahamas Agricultural Producers Association (BAPA) President Keith Campbell. According to him a 30 percent production increase would provide great stimulation to the economy.
Campbell told Guardian Business that while reducing the food import bill would provide relief on the country's expenditures, creating an avenue to increase production of some foods would do just that, in addition to adding another outlet for revenue.
"We have to look at the total food bill and what percentage is imported, and see how we can decease that percentage," Campbell said. "The value of agricultural output can be increased by 30 percent in the new government's first term and it can be great for the country if there is a commitment to it."

Newly-appointed Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government V. Alfred Gray has already placed emphasis on more activity in the agricultural sector, saying his ministry's aim will be to decrease the food import bill by 30 percent during the Christie administration's first term. While Campbell applauded the minister for setting the bar high in that aspect, he said achieving that goal will be difficult, given several factors.
"Our food bill is growing every year, and when you consider the population growth, increased visitors and a major resort like Baha Mar coming on stream in a few years, you have to have the supply to meet the demand," he said. "Thirty percent reduction in the food import bill is optimistic by the minister, but you want some benchmark you can reasonably expect."
Focusing on capitalizing on some of the foods in the country that can be mass produced for export would put a dent in the import bill, according to the BAPA chief, who added that specializing in a few items can reduce the need to import them. Committing to the sector would also cause a ripple effect that would create more jobs, an area that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is looking to improve in.
"We need to create sustainable livelihoods for people and the agricultural sector is tailor made for that," Campbell said. "You start a domino effect where jobs are created and you have products that can be exported, and the reduction of food imports will be a side effect of that."
He continued, "The economy needs to be more than a one-pony show. The Bahamas can be recognized for more than tourism and financial services, and agriculture can be the third industry. It's all about expanding and diversifying our economy, and agriculture can be a key component of that."

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