Dominica awards local company EC$7.9 million contract to build citrus certification facility

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy of Dominica has awarded local firm ACE Engineering a contract worth EC$7.9 million to set up a citrus certification facility in Woodford Hill in north-eastern Dominica. 

The signing ceremony for the project’s construction took place at the Ministry of Finance on January 10, 2025. The event saw the presence of some top representatives of the government, including Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, Finance Minister Irving McIntyre and Agriculture Minister Roland Royer.  

Part of Dominica’s ambitious Emergency Agricultural Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project (EALCRP), the citrus facility aims to improve Dominica’s citrus-production quality and safety and enable producers to meet international standards and gain access to global markets.

The EALCRP seeks restoration and recovery of agricultural livelihoods and improve climate resilience of farmers and fishers after the devastating Hurricane Maria of 2017.   

About the citrus certification facility

The citrus certification facility, which will come up at Woodford Hill Agricultural Station, will offer testing and certification services and provide training to farmers to improve their operations to boost the production of citrus. ACE Engineering, which is known for its experience in handling infrastructural projects, will oversee the facility. The facility will also include a building of a service structure, called the Potting House, and other structures such as perimeter security fencing, gates, and site grading. 

The agriculture ministry has expressed optimism that the facility will have a positive impact on farmers and the overall economy. 

What the leaders said

Calling the occasion “a far-reaching positive intervention in our nation’s economic development and particularly the growth of the agricultural sector”, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said the government in the last few years have made direct investments in farmers, whether through inputs, cash or material support, spending millions of dollars. 

He said the citrus industry gives the farmers a big opportunity to earn money. He spoke about a person who was earlier in the construction sector and decided to venture into growing limes and is earning more than decent living there.

Skerrit also said on the occasion that Dominica’s agriculture sector today needs private investments. He said agriculture is tax-free and that creates an opportunity for private players to engage there. The PM also cited the example of doctors expanding the pineapple subsector through investment in cultivation and agriculture of pineapples. 

He said in many countries, including developed ones, the government doesn’t involve itself in the minutes of the agriculture sector and it is the private sector which chips in. He said while building the citrus facilitation facility, the government of Dominica hopes that somebody from the private sector would come forward and manage it. 

Citing that Hurricane Maria had devastated Dominica’s citrus industry and a certification facility affecting its capacity to ensure quality and certification of citrus plants, Agriculture Minister Royer said a temporary centre was set up for the work before the government decided to set up the new facility.

“This citrus certification facility will not only restore our certification capabilities but also enhance and align them with international standards and strengthen the resilience of the citrus industry,” he said. 

“We are laying the foundation for increased production, improved quality and expanded market access for farmers as seedlings will be more readily available. This facility will play a pivotal role in repositioning Dominica as a leading citrus producer in the region. This is very important as many countries in the CARICOM and OECS that cannot produce citrus are importing them from Europe.”

Royer added that the plan to strengthen the citrus industry also aims to contribute to the government’s broad objective of increasing agricultural production of the GDP to EC$700 million by 2030. He also said the project also aligns with the agriculture ministry’s 5Cs programme -- citrus, coconut, cocoa, coffee and (medical) cannabis. 

Finance Minister McIntyre said on the occasion, "The signing of the contract for the construction of the citrus certification facility is integral to our government’s vision to give greater prominence to the agriculture sector in our continued development which has been clearly articulated in my Budget address over the past two years. 

He said the government’s agriculture plan for 2030 will focus on increasing production of agricultural products, horticulture, and fishing to eliminate the need for imports and increase exports. 

Citing that import of fruits makes a major contribution to Dominica’s food import bills, the minister stressed expanding the home-grown produces’ market share both locally and internationally and increase agro-processing output to add value to the country’s agricultural products. 

He also linked the cultivation and processing of citrus to the national health plan saying they back the government’s plan to reduce import of sugary beverages and encourage locally produce juices to ensure that diseases are kept at bay. 

McIntyre said Dominica’s citrus industry has also been challenged by climate change and pest and diseases and the government has made persistent efforts to rehabilitate and sustain a robust citrus industry. 

Citrus industry in Caribbean

The citrus industry in the Caribbean region is a leading one in the world. Several nations in the region grow products such as limes, lemons, oranges and grapefruit. Many have also built a thriving export industry for citrus fruits, including Dominica. In Dominica, citrus production is a major pillar of the economy as it strengthens the export industry, along with bananas and coconuts. The main areas of producing citrus products are in the Layou River Valley to the west.