Dominica to increase specialty exports to US

Dominican farmers and fresh food exporters may soon be able to increase their exports of fresh produce to the lucrative US, inter-regional and UK markets. Under a USAID funded Caribbean Expansion Trade Project (C-TEP), a select group of farmers from the Eastern Caribbean, beginning with Antigua and Dominica, will be provided with a comprehensive, efficient and effective package of technical assistance in order to increase the variety and volume of agricultural specialty crops targeted for exports into the North American, inter-regional, UK and European markets.

The project, which will span a period of three years and engage 1,200 farmers/exporters, will target a range of high value specialty crops supported by strong market demand. These will include spices, root crops, pumpkins, plantains, dried coconuts, breadfruit, cut-flowers and florist greens. It is estimated, that at the end of the intervention, between US$2 and $5 million worth of products would have been shipped to the targeted markets. The CTEP is being executed and implemented by a public-private partnership organization, the US-Caribbean Development Alliance Group.

Representatives from the North South Institute (NSI) and Alcon State University, lead organizations in the US-Caribbean Development Alliance Group, along with US private sector companies, will visit Dominica from Wednesday 31st January to Thursday 1st February to hold a series of consultations with key stakeholder groups. The team is being hosted by DEXIA. A group of farmers will meet with the NSI and its partners tomorrow at 10:00 am at the DEXIA’s Boardroom to discuss the dynamics and scope of the C-TEP initiative. Among the key issues to be discussed are the market opportunities for specialty Dominican products, contractual farming arrangements, risk management mitigation techniques and the technical assistance packages to be provided to farmers. While on Island, the team will also meet with representatives of the local Associate Organizations of the US-Caribbean Development Alliance Group. On Thursday, DEXIA will lead the team on a familiarization tour to a number of farms across the island.

Gregoire Thomas, General Manager of DEXIA noted that once successfully implemented and executed, the “C-TEP will not only lead to a significant expansion in Dominica’s trade to the US and other markets, but will also contribute meaningfully to rural development and Dominica’s agricultural diversification efforts.”