A Fruitful Agro-Tourism Site Visit

by Jacqui English, E-Commerce Officer, St. Vincent & the Grenadines Tourism Authority

As I got off the bus at the Orange Hill Taiwanese Farm, I was captivated by the panoramic mountain and ocean scenery, and enjoyed a charming view of a traditional great house. The remarkable farm occupies 18 acres of the Orange Hill Estate, which is located at the northern tip of St. Vincent.

This agro-tourism site boasts agro-processing and plant-tissue culture laboratories, operated by the Taiwan Technical Mission, and the St. Vincent & the Grenadines’ Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Rural Development.

Our guided tour of greenhouses, and fruit and vegetable orchards which displayed attractive signage, was very informative as friendly workers paused in their duties, to participate in knowledgeable discussions on products and services. Agricultural services offered by the farm include, a horticulture crop development project, vegetable extension, along with technical assistance and farm management training for local farmers.

As our tour continued we stepped into an amazing orchid greenhouse whose atmosphere was filled with a lovely fragrance; where spectacular orchids bloomed in various shapes, colors and sizes.

Ground spices, fruit juices, ice cream, chips, and dried fruit such as jujube and carambola (five finger), have been produced by the farm for the domestic market.

Our visit at the Orange Hill Taiwanese Farm, ended with a fruitful reward, as strolling through the orchards, we took pleasure in picking and eating juicy fruits, before setting out for the hour’s ride to Kingstown.