Lauders Agro-Processors Inc. to host Dasheen Exhibition

St. Vincent and the Grenadines will experience its first ever Dasheen exhibition on September 19, 2008. It will be held at Lauders in South Central Windward.{{more}}

Over 100 farmers and other persons are expected to attend from St. Vincent and St. Lucia. This historic event will be organized by the Lauders Agro-Processors Inc (LAP).

LAP is a new joint venture company that has been established between the Windward Islands Banana Development and Exporting Company (WIBDECO) and the National Properties Limited (NPL) to process and market root crops, in an effort to assist the agricultural diversification thrust of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the country as a whole.

LAP was established in October 2007 by the National Properties Limited (NPL) and the Windward Islands Banana Development and Exporting Company Limited (WIBDECO). It commenced operations in April of this year.

The up-coming dasheen exhibition is part of LAP’s effort to cultivate a partnership with farmers. According to LAP’s General Manager, Delia Mc Dowall, “This exhibition is being organized to expose farmers to good and modern practices that could improve the production of dasheen and other root crops, as a way of helping to address growing concerns about food security, and lessening our food imports.”

Manager Mc Dowall says that, “More importantly, because of seasonal dasheen shortage and rising demand for the product farmers need to be able to position themselves more strategically to be able to respond to market demands on a sustained basis. Therefore, the Festival is aimed at establishing a basis for building and strengthening relations with root crop farmers, and develop new co-operation in order to address some of the many complex problems that dasheen farmers are facing.” Ms. Mc Dowall is advising that LAP will be showcasing relevant techniques, equipment and expertise that are crucial in the production and processing of dasheen.”

“Dasheen Fest 2008” is scheduled to start with a field demonstration in Richland Park on Friday, September 19th, 2008, beginning at 9:30 am. At 3:00 p.m. on the same day, there will be a grand opening ceremony followed by a tour of the Lauders processing plant. There will be several exhibits, and three competitors will take place to judge the best dasheen dish, the fastest dasheen peeler, and the best sack of dasheen. Many prizes will be up for grab. The exhibition is open to the general public. Everyone is invited to attend.