Dominica Government invests $12.8 Million in Agricultural Infrastructure

The government of Dominica has invested around $12.8 million on infrastructure and the figure is increasing substantially. With the 90 percent completion of the new National Abattoir, investment on the new Citrus Facility to Deliver 50,000 Plants Per Cycle and the development of an Agro-Processing Hub for Beekeepers and Pepper Sauce Producers, the government is looking forward to further investments.

Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit talked about the ongoing developments concerned with infrastructure capabilities of Dominica.

PM Roosevelt Skerrit shared a post on his Facebook account, consisting of the developments done by the government in the month of February. The progress has been carried out on various fronts, with infrastructure being one of them.

Currently the construction taking place at the new National Abattoir in Layou Park is 90 percent complete, with operations expected to commence by mid-year. A total of $5 million have been invested by the government on this project. This poultry processing and the rehabilitation of the pig unit has the capacity to process up to 5,000 birds per day and 50 pigs per hour. This will significantly expand Dominica's local production capability and reduce imports by 30 percent.

The Citrus Certification Facility in Londonderry is also under progress. A sum of $7.8 million have been invested to revitalize Dominica's citrus industry. This site will facilitate the production of clean, disease free planting material, strengthening the sector’s resilience against citrus greening disease.

The facility will have the capacity to produce up to 50,000 plants per 18-month cycle under controlled conditions. The agricultural minister Roland Royer stressed on the importance of focusing on the ‘five C’s’, which include citrus, cocoa, coffee, coconut, and cannabis (the silent C).

The Prime Minister has also proposed an Agro-Processing unit. It will serve as a hub for Beekeepers and Pepper Sauce Producers. This new initiative is set to establish a national agro-processing facility to support honey producers, pepper sauce manufacturers and other value-added enterprises.

The government will finance and provide modern facilities at no cost to producers. This step has been taken by the government to build strong Dominican brands that can compete in various markets and create new opportunities within the agricultural value chain.