Dominica Develops Coffee Industry

As I am working at my desk, I am sipping on a mug of coffee. Soon, that coffee may be grown and processed on the Caribbean island of Dominica. For those that have taken a Caribbean yacht charter to this breathtaking garden of Eden, you probably were overwhelmed with the plethora of spices, bananas, mangoes, cocoa and other fruits and vegetables that were growing all over the mountainous hills of this lush island. During the 1980s and '90s, farmers cut down their other cash crop trees (including coffee trees) and went into the banana business because of the relatively high prices the fruit attracted in Europe. On a visit to Dominica in 2004- the smell and sight of so many banana trees "blue-bagged" for export was enough to make your head spin. Yet, like so many things, times change- particularly in the banana industry. On a return trip to Dominica last year- it was painfully obvious that the market was no longer as strong as acres of banana plantations sat unattended and ripe fruit was left to rot on the trees. Nothing to fear, though. Dominica's farmers now have a a new opportunity and an available market as they turn back into coffee production in a significant way. The government of Dominica has signed an agreement with Venezuela to rehabilitate and expand coffee acreages in Dominica. Dominica has made 1.5 acres of land available at One Mile in Portsmouth where a coffee processing plant has already been installed by the Venezuelan government. Venezuela will be responsible for providing training to personnel operating the machinery and the producers of coffee as well as provide assistance for the rehabilitation and establishment of coffee fields in Dominica. With the intent to diversify agriculture on the island, the Minister of Agriculture points out that Dominica has the terrain, rainfall and soil type to produce a top quality brand name coffee. With new methods of harvesting coffee beans and new technologies in coffee production, the potential to produce large volumes of coffee is great. For those of you lucky enough to experience this incredible island on your next Caribbean yacht charter, - check out the store shelves when you are provisioning. Soon- you will be able to brew and sip your own mug of Dominica's joe! - Donna