Prime Minister Gaston Browne is urging Antiguans and Barbudans to buy more locally produced food as part of a renewed national push to strengthen food security and reduce household grocery costs. The appeal came during Thursday’s presentation of the 2026 national budget, where Browne highlighted local agriculture as a key tool in easing cost-of-living pressures.
Browne said supporting local farmers and fishers is one of the most effective ways for consumers to protect themselves from unpredictable global prices. He framed the call as both an economic and a health message, noting that locally grown produce is typically fresher, more affordable and less vulnerable to external supply chain disruptions.
“Support our local farmers and fishermen… it’s smart, healthy, live long,” Browne told Parliament, stressing that domestic production must play a larger role in stabilising supermarket prices. He said expanding local output reduces the country’s dependence on imported foods, which often carry higher freight costs and are more exposed to global commodity spikes.
The Prime Minister’s appeal forms part of the government’s broader strategy to bring down the cost of living, which includes suspending the 42 percent Common External Tariff on selected imported foods, doubling the Food Voucher Programme in 2026 and maintaining subsidies on LPG, electricity and essential items. Browne said combining cheaper imports with stronger domestic agriculture will help create a more resilient and stable food market.
He also linked the push to long-term food security, noting that increasing local production reduces Antigua and Barbuda’s vulnerability to global shocks like those seen during the pandemic and the 2022 inflation surge. The government, he said, will continue supporting farmers through grants, land access and irrigation improvements.
The renewed emphasis on buying local comes as the country deepens its trade partnership with Guyana to import more affordable staples while simultaneously investing in home-grown produce. Browne said both approaches are needed to ensure that consumers see real, sustained relief at the checkout.
Budget debate continues next week.
