The Government of Grenada, in collaboration with the Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association (GCNA), is working towards improved efficiency, effectiveness, and viability as they seek to transform the nutmeg sub-sector.
The hope is to restore the spice to its green gold glory days through increased nutmeg production and advanced innovative ideas.
At its latest Annual General Meeting held last Thursday, the association reflected on its past successes in nutmeg production and committed to making fundamental changes in its operations to help transform the sector and boost its image and sales, while improving morale among nutmeg farmers.
Both Government and GCNA officials underscored the importance of increasing nutmeg production. Acting Chief Agricultural Officer Trevor Thompson delivering remarks on behalf of Agriculture Minister Peter David, said, “it is critical that we further increase nutmeg production to reduce unit costs and generate profit from selling greater volumes.”
Thompson identified praedial larceny, inaccessible farm roads, scarcity of adequate labour, insufficient levels of research and development, and insufficient access to investment, finance, and lands, as some of the challenges that must be addressed.
He said the Ministry is currently addressing the issue of inaccessible farm roads, particularly those that lead to nutmeg fields. He stated further that the propagation stations are working on having suitable nutmeg plants available to farmers in the upcoming Plant Distribution Season.
Elaborating further on the issue of increased nutmeg production, GCNA’s Chief Executive Officer Leo Cato said it must be considered a priority in this transformational season. “While the task might appear humongous,” Cato cautioned, “we as farmers and members of the association must endeavour to do what we can to increase production level of our farms.” He added, “If we were known for a top-quality nutmeg that has been affected because of a loss of the Banda, and the Papua, we have to restore this; that’s how we transform.”
Additionally, Cato believes that through support from Government projects like the OECS Regional Agriculture Competitiveness Project (AGRICOM), the association can better realise the innovation needed within the sector. He mentioned that through AGRICOM, the association has “commenced work on the Beaulieu facility, where a research and development lab is being developed; where value-added products will be broadened, and where a machine will be cracking and sorting on its own.”
Another pressing issue for the transformational process, is the supply of viable nutmeg plants to farmers. Head of GCNA’s Technical Committee Leonard St Bernard said the association has been working with the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that nutmeg farmers receive high-quality female plants for production.
The GCNA has been in the field, identifying the 3 different species of nutmegs that exist in Grenada — The Malayan, the Banda, and the Papua — identifying planting material and actively propagating. The association is also involved in marcotting which is a process of grafting that yields only female plants. There is also engagement with St George’s University to conduct PCR tests on traditional nutmegs to identify certain characteristics like sex.
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