Dominica is producing 15,000 pineapple plants and 10,000 taro dasheen plants through a newly commissioned Agriculture Science Complex. The facility is also working on production protocols for sweet potato, ginger, white potato, cassava, banana, and potatoes. According to the government, the aim is to supply disease-free planting material, reduce reliance on imports, and support the expansion of domestic production.
Minister of Agriculture Roland Royer discussed the facility during the third annual National Agriculture Award Ceremony. He said the complex marks a shift toward plant biotechnology and mass propagation in Dominica and is intended to strengthen production capacity for farmers through improved access to planting material.
Royer stated that the complex supports farmers by increasing the availability of crops and plants produced under controlled conditions. He added that the new equipment installed at the facility is intended to improve operational efficiency and productivity at the farm level.
The minister also said Dominica has introduced a new fleet of tractors to support land preparation. The machinery was funded by the People's Republic of China and is being used across several crop programmes. According to Royer, the equipment is supporting the white potato programme by reducing labour requirements and supporting production.
Royer also referred to developments in citrus production. He said farmers now have improved access to tools linked to productivity gains and that government investment in citrus programmes is ongoing.
"We are aggressively rebuilding Dominica's citrus industry to restore its farmer prominence and expand it beyond past levels. For this, 50,000 plants are currently being propagated, and distribution of selective varieties has already begun, supporting farmers with improved genetics and greater market potential."
As part of longer-term planning for the citrus sector, construction of a citrus certification facility in London is underway and is reported to be 80 per cent complete. The facility is expected to have the capacity to produce 50,000 clean plants and support disease-free propagation. According to the government, the objective is to support sustainable production systems with export potential.
The Agriculture Science Complex and related investments are being positioned as part of a broader effort to strengthen planting material supply, support crop programmes, and improve consistency in domestic production across multiple crops.
Source: Associates Times
