The Ministry of Agriculture’s Hope Coconut Industries Limited (HCIL) recently acquired a shipment of Brazilian Green Dwarf coconut seed nuts.
Some of the Brazilian Green Dwarf seed nuts that were procured
The shipment which contained 13,000 seed nuts valued at $12 million forms part of HCIL’s 2023 work plan and is in keeping with the government’s overall goal of expanding and further developing Guyana’s coconut industry.
While offering remarks, Minister Mustapha said that the high-yielding variety was first introduced last December and that some 275 to 300 farmers across the country will benefit from the seedlings produced from this batch.
“Last December, we introduced this variety through funding from a grant from the IDB and the EU with the help of CARDI. We received 2,000 seed nuts and I had indicated that we’d be looking at importing some more of this high-yielding variety this year. In our budget this year, $12 million was allocated to procure additional planting materials. With the previous batch we received, we were able to help 24 farmers and increase the coconut varieties around the country. We’ll continue those efforts and engage between 275 to 300 farmers who’ll benefit from seedlings so that we can further develop the industry and increase our export. When we look at the agriculture sector, coconut is the third highest revenue earner,” he explained.
Apart from acquiring additional planting materials, the minister also disclosed that the government has engaged specialists from India who are expected to come to Guyana to assist with further developing the industry.
HICL also recently procured the first of eight coconut shredders , worth $3.8 million, that will be used to shred waste materials such as coconut husk into coconut fiber that will be used for mulching and other agriculture-related purposes.
