The Grenada Cocoa Association (GCA) has recorded a two percent (2%) increase in production in St. David parish, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chairman of the GCA, Christopher Williams, made the announcement during GCA’s annual general meeting. Williams said that the increase is one of the major accomplishments of the association to date this year.
The increase in production has prompted the GCA to recommence the buying of wet cocoa, processing of cocoa beans and utilizing the Marli Facility upon the permission of the Grenada Co-operative Nutmeg Association (GCNA).
“It is because of this we are now able to say to our farmers, that our aim is to offer to them no less than eighty cents ($0.80) out of each dollar ($1.00) we receive for the beans. This commitment stands and we are not going to lower that,” said Williams.
He added that this is the first time that the Association ends the cocoa year without much stock on hand and is looking forward to being able to continue to manage our overdraft so it would not be a burden for the farmers.
St David is now the third largest producer of cocoa on the island.
Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Michael Stephen, congratulated the association on the efforts to increase production in St. David.
“The Ministry applauds the efforts of the farmers in St. David, which at the same time challenges farmers in other parishes to replicate this as part of the national drive to increase production. This shows that COVID-19 may just be the impetus needed for the association to realise that they need to continue with value addition, which would appeal to diverse markets and shipping logistics that are less cumbersome than shipping of cocoa beans in bags.”
Earlier this month, the Agricultural Division in the Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs & Local Government also boasted the increased crop production at the government-operated farms and Carriacou on a whole, for the year. (https://thecaribbeannewsnow.com/grenada-records-increase-in-cocoa-production/)
