Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud told a recent workshop aimed at resuscitating the coconut industry that steps are being taken to support farmers and he cited a $4M pledge for a coconut water plant on the East Coast.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release the meeting was held through the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The workshop, themed ‘Best practices for harvesting, handling and processing of coconut water’ was held at the Guyana School of Agriculture. In his address, Persaud said his ministry is currently pursuing a national effort to revitalize the industry in order to meet the growing demand for it both locally and globally.
The coconut industry is part of the ministry’s diversification plan and though it had been unproductive over the last few years it is working with farmers to resuscitate their farms. Persaud told the workshop that many Caribbean countries have restarted their industries due to the high global demand and that from 2007-2008 the number of persons sourcing coconut and its by-product from Guyana had increased and “that is why we need to secure markets.”
According to GINA a study which was recently conducted by the FAO revealed that the local coconut species are among some of the best found in the world, with a balanced sugar and PH content. Persaud said too there is now competition for coconut on the local market since its need has expanded beyond a primary component which can now be used as a base for other products. “Now even the local company such as the Pomeroon oil mill is complaining about the scarcity of coconut on the market, because a large quantity is being exported,” he said.
The minister also noted that when large quantities of the raw product is exported Guyana loses 70% of its economic benefits since the “the raw commodity is taken to another country where value added products are produced and exported right back to Guyana.”
He then told the workshop that the key to the revitalization plan is to devise ways in which government can better expose, support and train persons who are involved in the production of value-added coconut products. The minister also said the workshop aims at establishing a commitment from industry stakeholders and at ensuring that coconut farmers’ needs are addressed as it continues to encourage them to expand their cultivation and markets. Persaud told the meeting that government had pledged $4M to build a coconut water processing plant at Hope Estate, East Coast Demerara; two new coconut nurseries were established there as well. “Guyana is pursuing support from India, and several South American countries to assist in obtaining new varieties of the crop,” he said and urged farmers to make maximum use of the new farming technologies that are available at NARI.
