The Dominica Agricultural Producers and Exporters Ltd. (DAPEX) says inadequate shipping is posing a serious threat to the agricultural export potential of Dominica.
“There is the misplaced belief that there is adequate shipping to meet the agriculture export of Dominica but this belief is wrong,” the organization’s Chairman Luke Prevost said in its 2011 annual report, which was obtained by DNO.
According to DAPEX, there is adequate shipping capacity to move general goods out of the island but this is not the case for agricultural produce, since there are certain conditions to be met for these types of produce.
DAPEX says the conditions are that the produce must reach the customer in a fresh and excellent condition as required and it is mandatory that the produce reaches the buyer at the time needed.
“In most cases shipment out of Dominica does not meet those conditions and so we are not able to properly supply and compete and we often lose the competition,” the report states.
Despite this challenge, DAPEX says there have been strong performances in export for the first half of 2011 and by the end of the year, all volumes were above 2010 figures “and the range of export crops increased.”
“This occurred despite the sudden change in the shipping schedule towards the end of the year which negatively affected export to the Barbados market,” according to the report.
The report says banana export increased by 423 tonnes in 2011, plantain exports increased from 10 tonnes in 2010 to 57 tonnes in 2011 and other export crop expanded to include christophene, citrus, ginger and others.
DAPEX also warns that Dominica’s agriculture foundation is broken and crumbling. “We must face the stark reality that the nation has lived off the value of the agriculture capital with inadequate maintenance or new capital investment and as a result our agriculture is broken and crumbling,” the organization’s chairman says.
DAPEX points out that Dominica’s future in agriculture demands “that we rebuild our agricultural infrastructure and continuously invest in agriculture.”
The organization’s 10th annual general meeting is scheduled to be held next week at Marigot.
By the way I know of a buyer who want to use the LaPlaine depot close to where public works used to be. That buyer agreed to repair the place and would use it about 4 days per month they refuse to allow the use because it is said that the person who will be the buyer’s person running the place is a uwpite. To keep the buyer arway they charge $1000.00 per month and they renting one on the north at $70.00 per day.
At the same time buyers cannot get the produce they want and the little they get they cannot pay for it because of the price they sell. No dssheen , no plantains, no seasoning peppers, no yams. So even with limited shipping farmes cannot supply, I wonder how would it be if adequate shipping was available.
Why is the AGM in December. Things dont seem right. Can the board tell us what took so long to hve the AGM and are we the shareholders getting anything this year.
I can’t even get anyone to pick the trees. Seems like all the huckster vans are broken.
so why the government not looking into that?is it because the uwp say they champion this cause?it doe have to be so.When Dominica rise every Dominican rise,when she goes down everybody goes down.
what you expect?? this government is not interested in enabling agriculture in Dominica….
stupes
mwen las avec pleure sa la, zor pasa comprend yo pa mele avec agriculture…..
stop wait on that BLASTED government…go out there and secure your own interests!! avec oublier goverment sot sa la!