Last week the Agriculture Minister Gaspar Vega responded to the San Carlos farmers who claimed that the imbalance in the carrot supply to the local market is as a result of the lack of cooperation on the part of a few farmers. The Minister's said some farmers have, quote, "attitude," and meaning that when the Ministry asks them about their carrot production they would respond by saying "it's none of your business." Earlier this week, our colleagues at CTV3 spoke to farmer Max Hernandez of San Carlos who said that is not so. Here is what he said.
Max Hernandez - San Carlos Farmer
"How is he saying that we are not interested in giving information? That information is given every year. The area manager Frank Padron can tell you, he has supported us. We send them these reports every time we start production every year. We send these reports to Miss Loreni Balam, that I think is in charge of records."
Reporter
"Is this the report in reference to the next production of Potatoes, and onions?"
Max Hernandez - San Carlos Farmer
"Yes this is the report for potatoes and onions but we sent the report on carrots through Mr. Padron and Leonardo Eck a long time ago which reminded them of the upcoming crop season. And now as everyone knows there is a great loss of carrots. Fortunately for us today the market is accepting our carrots. Today we have to ship another two thousand pounds of carrots. This clearly shows that when there is a will to get it done it gets done. But I can't accept that we on the fields here tell the authorities at the Government or the Ministry that it is none of their business, when we depend on them."
When we spoke to Hernandez two weeks ago, he told us the problem was political preference on the part of Vega awarding import licenses to friends - which, of course, Vega denied. But it seems that all's well that ends well because as you heard from Max, the market has finally started accepting local carrots.
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