In an effort to raise the public awareness of the products that they stock as well as their diverse range of products for export, the Dominica Agricultural Products and Exporters Ltd. (DAPEX) will host an exposition at its headquartersin Fond Cole, this Thursday and Friday.
Formerly Dominica Banana Marketing Corporation and then Dominica Banana Producers Ltd, the company is seeking to display its intent to move away from solely relating to bananas, and establish itself as a broad-based company that can cater to every aspect of the country’s agricultural sector, whether it is export or inputs.
General Manager of DAPEX, Errol Emmanuel, in an exclusive interview said, “There has been a tradition in the thinking associated with DAPEX that it is banana specific. But now we are a broad-based agricultural company and we are broadening the range of products that we provide for sale to the general public and the farming community. So, there’s a place for the Home and Garden, for the housewife and hoteliers that want flower pots and potting mix. For people who want water tanks for their farms, or for contractors, we now provide water tanks.”
He added, “We are [also] expecting to go into fishing equipment, so that fishermen can come here and get their gear and other things that they may require. Garden tools will also be part of the display; all those things we never carried before.”
The GM expects there to be a number of suppliers from overseas, so that the farming community may have the opportunity to get technical support for some of the products we have available.
DAPEX already provides animal feeds for purchase by livestock farming, but Emmanuel pointed out that the company does not want to stop there.
He stated, “That is something that we are already into, in terms of livestock, we supply animal feeds and we are hoping to look at the different aspects of animal health, in terms of the medicals and other things that can help the livestock farmers. That is part of the on-going process of broadening our base. We are in talks with suppliers to get the tablets and other such items.”
As the company continues to grow though, Emmanuel insists that bananas are still a key part of the company’s export mandate.
“It is around bananas that we are developing our exports. There are crops that are volume leaders and they give you the opportunity, if you are doing a container, to fit in the other crops, and so banana sets that base, then you have plantains coming in, citrus, mangoes, to give you the full container load. So DAPEX is still committed to bananas,” he affirmed.
Great job emanuel. IS people like you the government needs to run DEXIA for them instead of them just importing rice and sugar.THe pm must give you a call because they are bankrupt of ideas on running the agricultural sector successfully.
Sir, Please do some research on the regional and US markets especially among restaurants..There is a great need for avocado in these markets…please do a check. Also, there is also talk about the need for coconut and coconut product. i am not sure how great is the need for coconut but avocado is has a market sir. Please research this further.