1. The Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security informs farmers that following the torrential rainfall and adverse climatic conditions that prevailed during cyclone Freddy from 18th to 21st February 2023. field visits are presently being carried out by the Small Farmers Welfare Fund (SFWF) and the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (FAREI) to assess the extent of damage to fields. A financial assistance would be provided to registered farmers following this assessment.

2. Planters are advised to take the following measures:

• Drain the excess water from their fields;
• Apply fungicides on existing crops;
• Undertake preventive field remediations; and
• Carry out fertilization according to requirements

3. Breeders are advised to avoid feeding animals with freshly harvested forage, to avoid the incidence of bloating and to keep animals in dry conditions to avoid moisture-related infections.

4. Planters are also informed that they may for:

• A subsidy of Rs. 3,000/arpent up to a maximum of 5 arpents under the Subsidy on Agricultural Mechanisation Scheme (SAM) for mechanization of their plantations; and
• A subsidy of 50% under the Fertiliser Subsidy Scheme (FSS), 60% under the Bio Farming Subsidy Scheme (BFSS) and 75% under the Locally Produced Fertiliser Subsidy Scheme (LPFS).

5. For more information on the above two schemes, SFWF may be contacted on the following phone numbers:

I. Moka, FSA Building, St. Pierre (Tel: 433 2052)
II. East, SFWF Belle Mare (Tel: 5 907 6254)
III. SFWF, La Marie, Vacoas (Tel: 684 0434)
IV. SFWF, FSA Building, Union Park (Tel: 677 1274)
V. SFWF, FSA Building, Solitude (Tel: 261 2751)
VI. SFWF, FSA Building, Rivière du Rempart (Tel: 409 0771)

6. Onion and vegetable seeds would be distributed, free of charge to registered farmers, based on a production plan being prepared by FAREI.

7. Additionally, farmers are advised to apply for:

• Sheltered Farm Net/Plastic Replacement Scheme; and
• Livestock Development Scheme for upgrading their Livestock farm.

8. The following FAREI Offices may be contacted for more details in the above two schemes.

I. FAREI, Royal Road, Camp Garreau, Flacq (Tel: 413 8125/413 4617)
II. FAREI, Vacoas Sub Office (Tel: 606 3087)
III. FAREI, R. d. Anguilles, Model Farm (Tel: 627 2554)
IV. FAREI, FSA Building, Goodlands (Tel: 282 0563)

23rd February 2023
Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security
Renganaden Seeneevassen Building
Cnr Jules Koenig and Maillard Streets
Port Louis