Saint Lucia – The workshop comprised two parts: introducing the participants to a new variety of cucumber from Taiwan now being cultivated on trial at the Union Demonstration Farm, and a session on how to prepare pickled cucumber, which was held in the Union Orchid Gardens conference room, and facilitated by Mrs. Usellta Agustin–Wilson.
The workshop, which was held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, was hosted under the second phase of the “Enhancement of the Efficiency of Production-Supply Chain in Fruit and Vegetable Sector Project”, commonly known as the “Seven Crops Project”, which runs from 2022 to 2026.
The workshop comprised two parts: introducing the participants to a new variety of cucumber from Taiwan now being cultivated on trial at the Union Demonstration Farm, and a session on how to prepare pickled cucumber, which was held in the Union Orchid Gardens conference room, and facilitated by Mrs. Usellta Agustin–Wilson.
The cucumber used in the process was Sweet Thumb, a Taiwanese variety which is very crunchy. Sweet Thumb cucumbers are a popular choice in Taiwanese cuisine, and are known for their sweet and slightly sour flavour, making them a refreshing addition to various dishes. These cucumbers are often pickled and served as a side dish, complementing fried foods and other savoury dishes.
Mr. Edward Wilson, Production Officer with the Seven Crops Project, shared that despite Saint Lucia being self-sufficient in cucumber production, due in large part to year-round production of the crop on island, processed cucumbers are still imported.
“The workshop was focused on reducing the importation of processed cucumbers,” he said. “As members of the Seven Crops Project team, me and Mr. Johnson Yang, Senior Production Specialist at the Taiwan Technical Mission, decided on a variety of cucumber that was suitable for being pickled. We coupled that with an agro-processing workshop on how to make pickled cucumbers. By doing so, we also aimed to showcase how agro-processing brings added value to local produce.”
One of the workshop participants, Mr. Aaron Donovan, Agricultural Extension Officer for Region 7, described the workshop as a great initiative.
“As we know, we often buy imported pickles from the supermarkets,” Donovan said. “However, it would be excellent if we can open up opportunities for our farmers in the production of pickled cucumbers. So hats off to the Taiwan Technical Mission for the excellent job they’re doing to bring the information to our farmers and for literally opening doors for them. We hope that the information that was shared at this workshop can be put to great use and some small cottage businesses can be created as a result.”
Another participant, Ms. Delia Toussaint, is a new farmer from Region 7, whose mother had been involved in farming for over 40 years.
“As a young person now entering the agricultural sector and just buying fresh vegetables, I would look for the young cucumbers without seeds,” she said. “The fact that the new variety has a short cycle, it eliminates the problems we face with caterpillars attacking the crop.”
She also believes that the skills she learned during the workshop will come in handy as she is already considering pickling cucumbers as a business venture.
“The workshop was very interesting as I got to pick my own cucumbers and learn how to pickle them,” Toussaint said. “The new variety of cucumber from Taiwan and its short cycle of 30 days between planting and harvesting is something new. The workshop was fun and making pickled cucumber is something that can see me taking seriously.”
