Coconut Industry Board Focused on Creating Linkages

The Coconut Industry Board (CIB) will be providing critical support to coconut farmers as well as develop various strategic partnerships as they seek to enhance the sector’s continued growth.

Chief Executive Officer of the Coconut Industry Board, Shaun Cameron, told JIS News that support to farmers is provided by helping them with good agricultural practices.

“This is done based on our partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC), European Union and the Caribbean Agricultural Research Development Institute (CARDI),” Mr. Cameron said.

This partnership is facilitated by the Alliance for Action Project, which provides technical expertise to local farmers.

“Along with the support of stakeholders, we provide them with cash crop planting materials so that they are able to provide themselves with income sources, while going through the drought. We also provide irrigation equipment for them in terms of drip irrigation to help them mitigate and manage the drought. This partnership has been successful and has benefited quite a few farmers,” he said.

The Board is also seeking to create and sustain key linkages with Jamaican Agro-processors as it moves from just promoting the whole nut, to include coconut products.

“You’re able now to pitch your product to the board and if we accept it, we’ll be able to push your product to our Coconut Shop. We can support small cottage industries and other processers such as Ms. Dawn’s Coconut Oil, for which we are one of the main distributors,” Mr. Cameron said.

Beneficiary of the services of the CIB and recipient of the 2022 ‘World’s Best Innovative Coconut Farmer’, Michael Swaby, said the Board has been instrumental in his work.

“I have gotten a lot of assistance from the Coconut Industry Board in terms of trees over the years. I have been a registered grower with them since 1987 [and] I received my first set of seedlings… in that year,” he said.

‘World’s Best Innovative Coconut Farmer’, Michael Swaby.

Operations Manager at Michael Black Farms, Zachary Black, whose company manufactures Ms. Dawn’s Coconut Oil, said the CIB has been instrumental in knowledge sharing, the sourcing of seedlings for replanting and overall crop management.

“There was a five-day training process going on that I was part of. They took us to farms, taught us new methods, what to expect with pests and how to control pests. They also teach us about the different variety of coconut trees that they have and introduce us to new varieties. From my experience, the board offers a lot of technological advances and a lot of teaching,” he said.

Operations Manager at Michael Black Farms,  Zachary Black.

For his part, Chief Executive Officer at BabyLove’s C-G Foods, producers of Vineyard Town Premium Blend, Larry Gardiner, said the Board has been helping the company establish its standard operating procedures.

The brand is known for its coconut-based ice creams that comes in 90 flavours.

“I think we became a better company because of the relationship with the coconut board. I created the product using coconut milk as the base, but I never thought about coconut in its entirety in terms of as a plant. With the Board, I got a greater understanding and appreciation,” Mr. Gardiner said.

He also attended seminars in Malaysia, Grenada, and the Dominican Republic, as well as training sessions with farmers from across the diaspora.

“By associating with the coconut farmers and all the information and technical sessions that the Coconut Industry Board has had, we have created, I think, a better product because we had a better understanding of the by-products of coconut and of what coconuts can do,” he added.

In the meanwhile, Mr. Cameron said the CIB is interested in exploring new partnerships with innovative agro-processors.

“We are looking now to see how we can get other agro-processors’ products here at the Coconut Shop at 18 Waterloo Road in Kingston. Currently, we are working with Vineyard Town Blend Ice Cream, which is a coconut-based ice-cream,” he said.

From the potential of ethanol products to coconut bun for easter, the CEO of the Board is eyeing the future of a thriving, sustainable and ever-evolving industry.

“In terms of growing the industry, we’re willing to work with venture capitalists. We are willing to work with partners to help grow the industry. If a large agro-processor, whether local or overseas, wants to set up a coconut business here in Jamaica, we will provide you with the technical expertise and the planting materials to get your business up and running. This so we can grow the industry as we have done for many of our farmers,” Mr. Cameron said.

The Coconut Industry Board, located at 18 Waterloo Road in Kingston, can be contacted via their website at coconutindustryboardjm.org, by calling 876-926-1770 or by sending an email to cocindbrd@cwjamaica.com.