Dear Editor,
I DO not want to drag on and make this a lengthy letter. Still, I want to commend the Ministry of Agriculture and the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha for his commitment to enhancing the coconut and coffee industry in Region Two.

Considering the recent visit by the minister and his team to the region, residents and farmers were given the opportunity to raise issues and have them resolved while also having the minister speak on his plans for the Pomeroon. It was particularly pleasing to hear that more investment will be made into the coconut and coffee industries to further expand them into viable and profitable industries.

The minister said that farmers will receive the Brazilian Green Dwarf seed nuts which is expected to expand cultivation. This is not the first time we will hear of this variety because the first shipment of this arrived in 2022 from Tecnologia Na Produção De Coqueiros (COHIBRA), Brazil, surely a ‘sweet’ investment.

Did you know this variety of coconuts is considered one of the best? The palm itself is said to be thin stemmed and the fruits are oblong shaped with an intense green colour.

This variety usually starts bearing fruit two-three years after planting and can produce as much as 250-300 fruits per palm per year in natural growing conditions with proper irrigation and fertilisation practices put into play. It is also described as very sweet to the taste! I’d say this is a win-win for coconut farmers.

The minister also talked about resuscitating the coffee industry in the Pomeroon for which he has been making inroads. We are thankful and optimistic about what is to come especially in these areas of agriculture.
Yours respectfully,
Dalip Mohamed