14-member committee appointed to address food prices

significant move has been made to address the issue of rising food prices with the appointment of the Food Security and Food Prices Committee.
The 14-member team, comprised of experts in the fields of agriculture, economics, nutrition, trade and consumer advocacy, was presented with letters of appointment yesterday.
The Cabinet-appointed committee, chaired by Nirmalla Debysingh, CEO of the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO), will formulate effective solutions to address food concerns. Agriculture Minister Kazim Hosein said the committee’s appointment is a pivotal step in Government’s commitment to ensuring access to affordable and nutritious food for all. He said: “The challenges before us are daunting. Food inflation, exacerbated by global disruptions such as supply chain interruptions and geopolitical conflicts, has severely impacted our food security. Our reliance on imported food items, which costs us over TT$5 billion annually, further complicates this issue.”
Hosein continued: “This is compounded by rising global food prices and adverse weather conditions affecting agricultural productivity. The Food Prices Committee is not merely a response to these challenges but a strategic initiative to seek sustainable solutions.”
The Committee’s vice chair is Nigel Grimes - Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries.
Rounding off the team is Ava Mahabir-Dass - Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry; Andy Mendez – Acting Supervisor at the Customs and Excise Division of the Ministry of Finance; Hayden Hurdle - Accountant at the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago; Dr Keisha Roberts - University of Trinidad and Tobago; Dr Sharon D Hutchinson - Faculty of Agriculture at the University of the West Indies; Rajiv Diptee - Past President of the Supermarket Association of Trinidad and Tobago; Vernon Persad - Supermarket Association of Trinidad and Tobago; Roger Roach – President of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association; Kavi Panday - Chief Executive Officer at Massy Stores (Trinidad); Siti Jones-Gordon - Head of Corporate Affairs at Nestle Trinidad and Tobago; Alpha Sennon - Agricultural Entrepreneur and Maxslon Roberts - Agricultural Entrepreneur (Tobago). (Source: The Loop, Aug 27, 2024)