Guyana will import another 50,000 high-yielding coconuts from Costa Rica to further advance its coconut industry.
This was revealed by Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha Thursday last, during an outreach to residents of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, and Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara.
“We have another 50,000 high-yielding coconuts coming from Costa Rica. We are helping farmers to get these varieties so that they can increase and improve their coconut variety,” the minister stated.
He noted that every farmer will receive coconuts to resuscitate the country’s coconut industry.
Additionally, the government has since brought another variety of high-yielding coconut known as the Brazilian Green Dwarf. Close to 60,000 have been brought into the country to date.
According to the minister, the coconut from Bazil produces between 500 to 700 milliliters of water. This is almost double Guyana’s coconut which holds 300 milliliters of water.
“We want to introduce new types of coconut into our country because it is a very lucrative crop and we want to be a main producer of coconut,” Minister Mustapha stressed.
The agriculture minister encouraged farmers to take advantage of the opportunities available in the agriculture sector.
He also urged farmers to establish farmers’ groups within the various villages so that the resources, when distributed, could meet more persons. “When we talk about agriculture, it means that every citizen must have equal access to the opportunities that the government is making available to the farmers,” he said. [DPI]
