KINGSTON, Jamaica— The Government is looking to enter into suitable public-private partnerships to increase coconut production.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Floyd Green, said that through the Coconut Industry Board (CIB), the Government is seeking to collaborate with private growers to boost the supply of coconuts for the industry.

“Under the partnership, we are looking to produce 400,000 seedlings per year, which would be a 400 per cent increase, and to plant over 3,000 acres of coconut,” Green said during his contribution to the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

He noted that the tremendous demand for coconuts and its by-products, such as coconut water and coconut oil is a clear opportunity for the country.  He noted, for instance, that Grace Foods has indicated “that they could utilise 24,000 coconuts daily to satisfy their coconut water needs”.

“Over the last year, we have expanded our nurseries at Barton Isles and Plantation Garden, we’ve distributed over 75,000 seedlings and planted over 100,000 seed nuts, but we need to accelerate this pace,” he said, hence the need for the public-private partnership.

The CIB has responsibility for promoting the interest and efficiency of the coconut industry, encouraging the production of coconuts, regulating the purchase, sale and export of coconuts as well as the importation of coconut products and substitutes.