Chad Bryan, Staff Reporter

A woman who found rusty metal pins in her plantains that she bought from the Coronation Market in downtown Kingston, strongly believes that the needles were put there by farmers being targeted by thieves.

"People need to know about this because it will end up in the wrong pot," she said.

She said she recently brought the plantains in the market and while preparing a few, noticed the pins. This happened after she had consumed some before that were free of pins.

Unaware

According to her, she put the plantains in the pot and noticed the water had turned black. She soon discovered that something was awry. She then discarded a bunch, but later realised that they too had the metal pins jutting out from the produce, one of which pricked her finger.

Officials at the agriculture and fisheries ministry at Hope Gardens were not aware of such a practice and referred our news team to the offices of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA). They too were unaware of the practice.

A representative of the RADA parish office in St Ann said he would not totally rule out such a practice by farmers if in fact it was proven to be true.

"I am not aware of it. It wouldn't be a vendor though selling it. You have a lot of thieves out there who are stealing farmer's produce and selling it to other people," he said.