Barbados is a dumping ground for milk products

Bridgetown.

Barbados is being used as a “dumping ground” for cheap milk import substitutes and Government’s hands are tied in stopping the influx through commercial policies. Minister of Agriculture, Dr. David Estwick.

According to Estwick, the Government can no longer impose any form of restrictions on the many different brands of milk coming into the country.

“Prior to signing onto the WTO rules, you could introduce a licensing regime, you could use commercial policy, you could use a quota system, in order to restrict imports and so on. But once we signed on, that is all gone,” he reasoned.

“So as a result of that we are essentially being dumped on because of  the vast increase in the amount of and types of products are now available in Barbados. That is trade liberalisation", the Minister told reporters during a tour of the Pine Hill Dairy.

He was of the view that as a small developing country, that is what happens, “once you become penetrated culturally first, and then secondarily you become penetrated in terms of the products that come thereafter.

“Barbados is now facing that reality that trade liberalisation is here, and as a result, milk products, milk substitutes, variation of milk products are going to come through the [sea] port and the airport; and what we have to do is [realise] that we cannot stop it by introducing commercial policy,” Estwick added.