Pomeroon Oil Mill representative, Mr. Andron Alphonso, speaking at the first of a series of meetings convened at the Ministry of Agriculture in the city said stakeholders have a vital role to play in the revival of the industry.

Minister Robert Persaud at Tuesday’s meeting.

But apart form this, Alphonso advised greater attention be paid to planting more high-yielding variety nuts in order for the industry to be a force to reckon with on the international market.

He emphasised too the need to develop new technology to process the nuts, rather than export the raw materials, and to be ever alert against pest control.

National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) Director Dr Oudho Homenauth pointed out that the coconut industry, in terms of acreage of land allocated for cultivation, ranks third in the country, behind rice and sugar.

The industry is a huge avenue for development, but stakeholders have to step up to the plate.

Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud acknowledged the industry has experienced a form of neglect both from estate owners and the government, and on that point, he underlined his determination to see the revival of the sector to a level of vibrancy.

Persaud explained the decline of the local industry was due to the steady dip in demand for coconut oil on the world market over the years, and more emphasis being placed on palm oil.

He pointed out when the current administration assumed office 17 years ago, attention was placed on beefing-up drainage and irrigation (D&I) throughout the country, but no special interest was placed on the coconut industry.

The industry, the minister said, would have benefitted for D&I improvements indirectly, as these were intended to serve the critical productive sectors such as rice and sugar.

Persaud also stressed that the availability of limited resources was another constraint, resulting in lesser attention being given to the enterprise.

However, he said current Agriculture Diversification Project (ADP) and the Rural Enterprise Agriculture Development (READ) programme have opened up new opportunities for non-traditional agricultural, paving the way for a full revitalisation and development of the coconut business.

Persaud promised his ministry is committed to allocating funds in this regard because there are markets for the commodity.

In 2008, he disclosed, coconut export more than doubled the amount exported in 2005, and export so far for this year has surpassed the total export last year.

Guyana, he said, has been exporting coconuts to the Dominican Republic among other islands in the Caribbean, and is looking to tap into the demands of the North American market.

Persaud observed that the foreign demand for the commodity has even affected adequate availability for local consumption.

NARI has been tasked with reviving the industry and the Hope Estate on the lower East Coast Demerara will once again be resuscitated.

Persaud announced that very soon two nurseries will be constructed on the estate to produce top variety plants.

He said too that Guyana is looking to India and other countries with well developed coconut industries to solicit their expertise to assist in the realisation of its endeavour.

Coconut plantations, including those abandoned, account for some 23,000 acres of lands here, and a full restoration of the industry will open up value-added enterprises, thereby creating more jobs.