巴哈馬園藝產業考察報告

A Survey on Horticultural Production in the Bahamas

巴哈馬為改進農漁業生產，並以自產農漁產品取代大量之國外進口，進而打開外銷市場，乃商請我方派遣農漁業研究人員前往調查巴哈馬農漁業生產情形，以做為洽商中、巴農技合作協定，由我方派遣農技團之參考，筆者等由農委會推薦參加海外會籌之巴哈馬農漁業專家考察團，考察期間為78年9月7日至9月27日，合計21天。

This report covering the horticultural section of the survey mission on agricultural production to the Common wealth of the Bahamas from September 7 to 27, 1989 dispatched by the Committee for International Technical Cooperation. The main purpose of the mission is to make a field survery of the agricultural production and to evaluate the feasibility of cooperation and assistance of agricultural techniques between Republic of China and the Bahamas. The tropical and sub-tropical climate of the Bahamas is similar to that of Taiwan. The mean annual temperature of summer and winter were 30° and 20°C, respectively. The mean annual rainfall was 132mm. The major soil composition of the Bahamas are all limestone based, soil improvement have never been implemented. Due to high cost of land clearing, preparation and high minimum wage, only 18% of the arable land has been cultivated. The crop phase is rather simple, the major horticultural crops are also discussed. In general, the small-scale and traditional cultural methods are still prevailed. The archipelagic nature of geology have prevented the distribution and marketing of farm materials and products efficiently. The local agricultural production supplies 20% of the national consumption annually. The booming of the tourist industry has increased the food import. The government policy is aimed to assist the small scale farmer, increase crops production and eventually reduce the agricultural imports. The major constraint of agricultural development of the Bahamas is the lack of modernization of agricultural techniques and full utilization of land and natural resources. The exports of agricultural products to nearby U. S. A. could be promoted by improving the quality of the products. Through the introduction of entrepreneurial concepts, mechanization of farm practices and the opening of domestic and foreign markets and with the assistance of modern agricultural techniques from Republic of China, the future development of horticultural production in the Bahamas is promising.