The end of the green gold period within the OECS has forced many farmers to diversify to new quick-cash crops. This diversification has also brought with it its challenges which created other issues for these new crop farmers – among these issues – shipping.
The
formation of RAYNEAU INDUSTRIES, a newly
formed food export business in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has taken on the
task to provide a marketing platform, initially for the farmers of St Vincent
and the Grenadines.
The list of commodities, butternut squash, cabbage, callaloo, dasheen, bananas, yams, plantains, ginger, eddoes, and turmeric, on Wednesday, 22nd, March 2023, was exported via container from St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the United States Virgin Islands.
The
purchaser in the USVI, Mr. Ferdinand Francis of Francis Commercial Farming,
noted that all the commodities arrived in premium condition.
Rayneau
Industries has conducted this first trial shipment mainly to gauge the success
rate in the quality of the goods transported. CEO of Rayneau Industries Mr. Rayneau Gajadhar
noted that this first success has opened limitless opportunities to the farmers
in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the rest of the OECS. He stated that “We are starting in SVG to work with the
farmers to create an export platform that can create excellent someday payment
to farmers. Together we will make this work”.
in thanking
Mr. Gajadhar for the confidence he has shown in the agriculture sector in SVG, Minister
of Agriculture, Hon. Saboto Caesar, stated, “I have always preached the
need for a consolidated marketing platform created through a public/private
partnership. This can very well be the start of a renaissance in the
consolidated marketing of Windwards agricultural produce. It is a wake-up call to
all stakeholders in the agriculture sector to expand production exponentially.
Imagine that, we exported cabbage and butternut squash!”
Persons who would
like to see this project expand to the other islands are already responding to
this initiative with these questions:
1.
So when is St
Lucia starting?
2.
This is
great news, hope we get our products out of St Lucia
3.
Congratulations
to Rayneau and the Vincey Team
In addition
to the farmers, the shipment was made possible with the technical support of
the Ministry of Agriculture, local shippers, and Alvin “Buffer” Collins. Rayneau
Industries is represented locally by Annette Mark former CEO of Invest SVG and
Richard Branch former Banker.
Please give us a call at Corinth 450-7247, Vide Bouteille 450-7246, Monchy 450-7248, or Babonneau 450-5759. Follow us on Facebook and Check out our website here! .
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