Expert gives advice on essential oils industry

 

Dr. Shaath believes essential oil producers should know their product
Dr. Shaath believes essential oil producers should know their product

One of the world’s leading experts in the essential oils industry has warned that if the island is to develop such an industry, it should always be aware of what it is producing.

Addressing a forum on Wednesday organized by the United Workers Party (UWP), President of the Alpha Research and Development, Dr Nadim Shaath, said for a viable essential oil industry to take root in Dominica farmers need to rely on themselves.

“Do not wait on somebody to tell you that you don’t have the right material,” he said. “You have to know the chemical components of that material, what are the variations of it. You also need to be a little bit more advanced in terms of that you do, not just want to quality control your material, you also want to research the material.”

He noted that it is important that essential oil products are not adulterated.

Some of those who attended the forum
Some of those who attended the forum

“It is in your best interest to make sure that nobody adulterates your product,” he stated. “Be technical if you want to go into this business.”

He added that Dominica will need to implement a research facility in order to properly understand essential oils products that it intends to produce.

Shaath pointed out further that the island will need to decide on a core list of oils which it intends to produce and place focus on that list.

In recent times the United Workers Party (UWP) revealed it had solid plans to revitalize the essential oils industry in Dominica.

Speaking at the forum, UWP hopeful for Grand Fond, Thomson Fontaine indicated that it is time that Dominica benefits from the essential oil industry.

“Essential oils is a very important part of the perfumes and sunscreen industry and we are blessed in many ways here in Dominica to have several of the ingredients that are used in the making of perfumes and sunscreen,” he stated. “I think the time has come when we take this opportunity to get a slice of the action.”

According to him, there is a lot more money to be made in the sector since Dominica is already benefiting by producing bay oil.

“We believe that our income can be increased substantially by increasing the number of items that we have and we have several of them growing here in Dominica,” he said. “We have the vecteveh, the lemon grass, the citronella, the lang li and they can be used to increase the proceeds that we get from this very crucial sector.”

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44 Comments

  1. cathy
    June 10, 2016

    We are blest we have chloredecon free soil, except for the fools who smugle it in from the French countries to kill our Island,it takes 30yrs to get rid of it,while you are polyticking about the oppositn:and the PM you are the ones putting DA in agony; thru greed and cupidity,and drawing a prim! somewhere somehow, ILL GOTTEN GOODS DO NOT PROSPER.soon got soon gone,you build a house with false earned money, a flood or huricane ir earth quake etc. will take care of it for you GOD IS NOT DEAD? HE NEVER DIED ON A CROSS.Abonne attendant; salut!!!!!!!!

  2. lebrap
    March 27, 2014

    hmmm well we in year of productivity so I better tell mr skerrit let’s look at this things these blue bugs talking about essential oils… we might better take a leaf from these guys book and just dot some eyes and cross some tees, not crazy tee you know, real tees so that we can call this initiative our own… call a regional forum, don’t invite them and call dt to call the police to escort tomfontaine out while calling him a nuisance…trololol :lol: :lol: :lol:

  3. Shame
    March 27, 2014

    DNO what kind of pictures that nah? 8-O> Give us better pictures and more shots next time! Promote the idea and the potential not personalities!

  4. Emile Zapatos
    March 27, 2014

    That is the new UWP big plan to bring us someone to tell us what we already know.

  5. Jake
    March 27, 2014

    Dr Fontaine we are so proud of you here in Grnd Fond. I heard Alex Stephenson say that you should not insult the people by asking them to plant vetiver. Apparently he prefers that we remain poor and perpetual beggars waiting for handouts from Skerrit. That to me is the real insult.

    At the very least we can try to use what God gave us in abundance to make money. A 5 oz bottle of Vetiver perfume sells for $115 in New York. Let’s tie our waist and make this work.

    • Anonymous
      March 28, 2014

      Really!! What will you call it. You think it can give Polo Tommy Hillfiger or the thousands of other name brands out there competition?

  6. Emile Zapatos
    March 27, 2014

    Good idea to take these oils to the next level and manufacture cosmetics. Making medicine should also be considered..
    Why leave out coconut oil. Coconut can be manufactured into food ,cosmetics, medicine, spice, fertilizer and animal feed and other by products. It is less labour intensive and can be harvested all year round. Then a factory already exist.
    We definitely need research facilities for all the Agricuture sub sectors.
    Research is being done in the tropical rain forest of Brazil on trees that can produce cosmetics and medicine, we should tap into this.

    • Emile Zapatos
      March 27, 2014

      Oh yes, why leave out cinnamon.

    • cathy
      June 10, 2016

      Ihope that i’m wrong did not a former PRIM Minister sell our coconut oil to AMERICANS in place of SOJAoil now they are saying that COCONUT oil is the best,good for your head down to under your feet: you cannot sell your Goose with the egg in it’s belly,it’s a Golden EGG suppose THE Goose never lay again?????

  7. March 27, 2014

    Say no more .UWP launching Essential oils industry ,wanting to improve the standard of living in Dominica.Dominicans need and want work to build there country not dependant on hand outs.Lets Get Dominica Working Together.

  8. Ooooo
    March 26, 2014

    Bello asking for peppers and they cannot get the farmers in dominica

  9. anonymous2
    March 26, 2014

    This is a tough industry. The question is how tough are Dominicans?

    • Not a herd follower
      March 26, 2014

      Good question. We tend to be too chaud, too flam. We have to be prepared to work hard and, as Dr. Shillingford advised at this morning’s event, we have to be disciplined in order to achieve.

  10. observer
    March 26, 2014

    I listened to the program and it was very informative. The speaker did not come with any get-rich-quick scheme, but he was very realistic. I see a lot of potential in this. Research facility which can be coordinated with the government, private sector, and state college. This thing can potentially create 100s of jobs. Great initiative Dr. Thomson.

  11. mosbo
    March 26, 2014

    Well done team Dominica. there is much more to come.

  12. sense
    March 26, 2014

    In 1995 I planted so much bananas because we were promised one dollar a pound and it never materialised as a matter of fact the price dropped even lower and i had to just eat ripe fig and cut up the rest in the fields.So all you coming again with more promises that will never take me again

    • The Original Met Yo
      March 27, 2014

      Yeah 20 years later you on DNO blogging at your age? LOL

      Why do these young people lie so much. Allu following the leader?

      hahahaa

  13. TIME FOR CHANGE
    March 26, 2014

    That’s why i love this Party so much. They are the caring and loving team.

  14. Curious
    March 26, 2014

    I live in the South East and I know bay oil production takes a lot of work. Tell me what factory/factories do we need to extract the oil from vectiver? is our land suitable? dry enough? is this something that can bear fruit in less than 3 years.

  15. first hand
    March 26, 2014

    But the way I hear Tomson speak in Grand Fond, I say the whole South East including he Tomson should have begun planting vertiver and pacholi, because he said he has the market and buyers. I WAITING FOR HIM TO START TO PLANT ON THE LAND AT ROSALIE AND THEN I WILL BEGIN. LEAD BY EXAMPLE TF FOR US TO FOLLOW.

    • observer
      March 26, 2014

      Are you an internet child?

  16. Jah Kal
    March 26, 2014

    Great job team Dominica.

  17. ?????????
    March 26, 2014

    Wow…. im impressed…. we have plans… no wonder the other side in a panic….

    • Bogoroy
      March 27, 2014

      Plans? A man comes to inform you that IF you work hard and you are disciplined enough to wait for the results…IF you do all this, you can make big money and you speak of “plans?”

      In other words, you call a motivational speaker a plan? Lol! No wonder you guys will be spending the next 10 years in opposition: You confuse show with planning. Dis eh no schoolyard ting!

      • observer
        March 27, 2014

        If it’s not a plan, then what is it? Isn’t that a start ? You want to just start by reaping and selling right away? Ever heard of easy come easy go? When we do not take the time to plan out and do things properly, it will not last and we will not maximize our potential outcome. In the glory days of banana did you think it started with a bang? When Nasser started his factory did he started of with all the equipment and products? Dont you think that diversifying to these oil is a good initiative? Some of you just oppose for opposing sake. Think about country first for heaven sake!

  18. Anonymous
    March 26, 2014

    No ‘new’ information is contained herein!

  19. IFF I WUZ
    March 26, 2014

    Parry, I would call Mr. Lennox Linton, leader of the UWP, in order to congratulate him on this new initiative.. This is a first for Dominica when one considers this enterprise comes from a political party in opposition .

  20. fil
    March 26, 2014

    The man said farmers should not rely on others, they should do it on their own. I do think they need help on this.

  21. Dominican
    March 26, 2014

    Agreed!

  22. Bogoroy
    March 26, 2014

    This move by Fontaine is clever. It is a leaf directly from the page of the DLP in opposition.

    It will not bear fruit because the essential oils industry in Dominica is plagued by many problems that may not necessarily be government-related, e.g. a bay oil tree takes much longer to grow and bear than a banana tree or hot peppers. However, this move is a politically clever move. It remains to be seen if Fontaine can milk it to his advantage.

    • Emile Zapatos
      March 27, 2014

      Bogoroy, , I agree it is a good political ploy and may succeed that is why it is being done close to the election year. It is a promotion to keep hope alive , with the hero coming back home to save his people syndrome. That will get the electorate’s attention and will get votes.
      But why after all those years of experience and expertise that Fontaine and Shillingford have , why are they only coming out now. I smell a scam because of what I know about DAAS . Bay oil have been produced for over 30 years in Dominica and none of these fellows never had any interest in its marketing. When you leave out cinnamon and coconut ,I smell a scam ,a big one..

    • Anonymous
      March 27, 2014

      I don’t think it’s that clever at all. It can work but there is too much potential for failure. Very risky business.

    • Anonymous
      March 27, 2014

      Anything is workable under the right conditions but this is a very risky business. All the same, good luck to the farmers who are planning to participate in this venture. I wish I could be more optimistic about it.

    • Mr. Bojangles
      March 27, 2014

      Bogoroy go and do your work! You spending too much of your employer’s time on DNO!

  23. african queen
    March 26, 2014

    very encouraging for those who ready to work to earn and not be beggars. Start you all planing right NOW. Farmers millons can be earned. You see we have contacts that is just the begining. Dominica do not let this opprtunity pass by. VOTE FOR WORK, MONEY BREAD, FOOD, CLOTHES, education house, health & HOLIDAY.
    VOTE FOR CHANGE YOU WILL NOT REGRET.

  24. Oh Yes
    March 26, 2014

    Excellent initiative by the UWP. Let us not just hope, but capitalize on this exercise to foster practical and workable action plans to develop the essentials oils industry.

  25. ##D.A.##.
    March 26, 2014

    MR Fontaine thanks for coming back. Always remember climbing the mountain top is one small step at a time. Your entire family is always classy loving family who was raised to work hard and be respectful to all. My only advise to you sometimes let action speak and do not be too quick to take the Bait. A real politician is one who loves his country, go to war for his fellow men and women. And one who speak the truth for the truth will set us free. I am Dominican!” and color blind.

  26. FORKIT
    March 26, 2014

    the dark sided team tried to ridicule dr. fontaine for bring to light have we can start our manufacturing business from the abundance of certain grasses that grows JUST LIKE THAT in dominica…

    blackmoore washed his tongue on the man but could not provide one solution or idea to start us in the right direction with regards to manufacturing. now here is a man who is telling us about the importance of essential oils. does blackmoore know that oils can be extracted from mostly all plants…

    I would give two table spoons of guava oil to blackmoore for making those asinine statements.

    Dominicans love crap.

  27. Godswillbedone
    March 26, 2014

    I applaud this kind of foresight by the organizers. It is for Dominica and not just any particular sector. This is a great initiative to revitalize the essential oils industry in Dominica, which will in turn put some money into the farmers pocket and thus advance the economy. Lets study this carefully and do diligence with the research to make it profitable.

  28. FAST N FURIOUS
    March 26, 2014

    Is this first guy asleep?Can someone tell me who he is?

  29. White Plains Rd
    March 26, 2014

    won’t be surprise another caribbean island runs with this, and makes it a success…

    dominica is way too expensive to enhance growth their professionals are excellent talkers but when comes to hit the road running they are “NO SHOWS”

    the handout angles are what many in dominica uphold praise and adore, it’s how backward and small minded they are!!!

  30. hmm
    March 26, 2014

    The doc’s quotes seem all very random and not entirely sensible. Dno i don’t think your story best summarises this morning’s forum. Your reporter dropped the ball.

  31. Stoney
    March 26, 2014

    that’s a good direction by team dominica, but honestly the present day dominica is not along those lines…

    they are enslave in the red clinic mind set, so trying to broaden the mindset is a task of finding a needle in a sandpit.

    good luck but the cultural mindset in dominica is unique and strange to the rest of the caribbean

  32. Concept 3
    March 26, 2014

    We have numerous herbs that are used as seasoning, some of which I beleive are unique to Dominica and by the aroma I know they can be used in perfume industry.
    Great initiative

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