If successful, a new initiative to develop the toloma industry in Delices could yield significant benefits for toloma farmers in the area.
Chairman of the Delices Village Council, Michael Etienne said in an interview on state-owned DBS Radio recently that a new group called Delices Organic Tolomah Sustainable Initiative (DOTSI) has been formed and two years of research conducted, it is believed that based on upon the results the research, they are on the right track.
“What that means is, we are embarking upon an initiative that will have toloma grown organically, so that it can yield a lot more profits,” he stated.
He continued, “We are looking at paying farmers between $50 and $100 a pound of toloma, because the starch from toloma is very healthy and that is what the US [United States] market is looking for right now.”
Etienne said that the group has contacted the various markets and has gotten positive feedbacks.
He said the group has also gotten monies to help the farmers clear their lands.
“We have formed the groups that will look after their land to ensure that it is organically grown,” he added.
Etienne said at present in the village, there are toloma farmers who have 2-3 acre plots that has not been used for 2-3 years, “so it is ideal for that kind of growing toloma.”
He mentioned also that the group is embarking, with the same initiative, to create organic fertilizer using the bi-product, the waste from the toloma to create that fertilizer for future use for the toloma farmers.
“The research has been done and the markets are coming on stream, the farmers are excited, we have formed a group, we have opened up whatever is necessary to have seed money come through,” Etienne asserted. “We are very transparent, we are very accountable for what is going to happen and we are going to make sure it happens.”
Toloma Prosesseing/ abattoir house in Boetica. Built in 2009 and never commissioned, never opened to this day and built on private property by government.
I leave it to your imagination to guess the building cost. Judge the results.
hint: Maria had no part in this,since this picture was taken prior.
Dno please allow me
Tried my best to create this link on my phone.
https://paste.pics/efb53b44efc146a62e0ffb254c1461b4
We will first have to see a functioning coffee factory ! Skerro seem to be taking the people from the East for a ride on a donkey. I hope they will show him in the next election that they are enlightened!
Where was the transparency and accountability after Maria with the ration?
Where are all the other agricultural crops that Skerro told us about just before the last elections?
Good vibes again but I am not setting my hopes high since it is Skerro who said it and elections are so close.
Toloma has huge international market potential as a health food. However, the benefits for Dominica will not arise from selling processed toloma in bulk for others to reap the profit, but in developing, manufacturing and attractively packaging a range innovative of end products.
Six years ago I was commissioned by DEXIA to make recommendations on crop processing and factory layout. One of my suggestions was the establishment of a Product Development Unit; in essence an experimental kitchen to research the culinary and health potential of crops.
Alas, my recommendations fell on deaf ears.
Exactly. Selling the raw mater is only providing farming jobs. We can provide manufacturing, scientists, lab, marketing, packaging accounting and a whole host of other jobs if we start thinking that way. It is like we seriously stuck in a time wrap.then probably geothermal will become a reality because you have idustries who need power for consumption. We have to thinking light manufacturing. Eventually we create high skilled and jobs for all the students coming home from College. This is the new mindset we need in this country. We have to start small and start somewhere. See what became of Ross fro 7 students and 40 years? Burnett i am getting close to giving up on is ever vetting to that point. It seems lime history and our surroundings teach us nothing
How can a product containing so much starch be considered a health product; and where is this international market?
When I was a child in Dominica, people gave Toloma and arrowroot, to baby’s sweetened as pour-rage, that was all due to poverty. There were no infant formulas then until Gerber baby formulas came, and not every parent could afford that.
In the process such diets messed up lots of Children become diabetics in their youth! Now if you say it can be developed into liquid starch for starching cloths of ironing, that might work: But I don’t see how that can be a health product, in the first place the term (word) Toloma exists only in Dominica, it is patios.
So, in that case tell me under what English name is this product is sold internationally and from what country is it exported internationally!
Ok here is what this should say, we have done scientic research with the Caribbean agri research institute and found toloma to be higly nutritional. It contains high amonts of x, y, z vitamins and minerals easential for. A, B and C…it os also an essential component in the cooking baking or food and beverge industry and used in bla bla blah as an additive or organic alternative to 1,2, 3. As a result we are starting new initiative to expand market. We are in 2018 and have lost tbe coconut, vanilla and avocado industry due to lack of scientific data to back up. Why does it take us that long to learn. I am all up for this but pleas consider these things. We already have a diabetes epidemic and all i saw above was starch. Convince me why i should get this product.
Who have eyes to see will see ears to hear will hear.
I do not know who is this person Roger, but I can tell you that guy does not know what he is talking about; that type of stuff is all starch: I don’t know how he can suggest is a health food or product.
As someone asks where is his scientific research, and findings. I can start talking abut benefits of Root Ginger, or Beat Juice, or Spinach, and have scientific proof of what it does when utilized.
That guy seems to be pulling hot air out of the sky!
One Labor Party elect Drigo said he shipped a million pounds of fish from Dominica all around the world, as well as people all over the world are calling and craving Dominica yam plantain, and all sort of lies.
Now this Roger talks about Toloma have international market!
Toloma is creole patios, spoken in St. Lucia and Dominica, if one hears it in Martinique or Guadeloupe, you can ask if they are from Dominica or St. Lucia?
Anything for farmers I am on board if it is a genuine venture.
What concerns me:
1. You are not telling the public who is providing the funding..Is it CBI, is it an outside agency( Name) with connection to INTL markets.
2. You got interest in the product ….But is there a firm commitment to buy the product or a Letter of Intent(LOI) and in which market?
3. How much pounds your plan to ship in Phase1 as a minimum order .. so farmers can quality and quantify the opportunity.
Then in your last comment “we are very transparent”…where is the transparency Michael?
Whether it is an empty promise or not, THIS is the kind of stuff the government and it’s ministries should be getting into. Finding markets for our products and creating industry.
Election coming boy
Very good vibes,but i not drinking toloma again makes me more hungry.
You can’t go wrong if you go back to the soil. Positive vibes!!!