The total value of the project is $291 million (US$4.7 million), funded by a $149 million (US$2.4 million) grant from the Food and Agricultural Organisation's (FAO) Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) and $143 million (US$2.3 million) from the Jamaican government, Mexico and Hunduras. In giving the opening address, Minister of Agriculture Roger Clarke said that the project was commencing after a long gestation period.

Noting that on almost every occasion, the lethal yellowing disease had affected the main coconut growing areas in the eastern end of the island, the minister congratulated the Coconut Industry Board (CIB) for, "the great effort that it has made in keeping the industry alive."

POTENTIAL
Mr. Clarke said a fully developed coconut industry could provide significant opportunities, particularly for rural areas, and noted that the value added products that had been developed over time were encouraging.

"There is a great future for the industry, if we can contain those difficulties we have with lethal yellowing, it can once more be a viable industry," the Agriculture Minister asserted. He added, "We are in for a good thing. I have confidence that the programme will be implemented and we are going to eliminate that dreaded disease. We might not be able to eradicate it, but we might be able to contain it".

Jamaica has already lost close to one million coconut trees due to the current outbreak of the lethal yellowing disease.

WIDESCALE PRODUCTION
At present, some 8,000 farmers produce coconuts on 13,500 hectares. The current farm population is 3.3 million coconut palms, producing 97.4 million nuts valued at $1.36 billion in 2004. Coconut is mainly grown in St. Thomas, Portland and St. Mary. Most coconuts are used for bottled water, while the dry nuts are used for oil, cream and desiccated coconut.

As part of today's coping measures farmers are encouraged to plant in lethal yellowing-free areas, inter-crop and conduct good cultural practices such as weed control and removal of infected trees immediately, and replant, according to Dr. Wayne Myrie, researcher with the CIB.