Pineapple Growers Co-operative ready to take off!

THE PINEAPPLE Growers Co-operative (PINGCO) was officially formed on February 23rd, after three months of collaboration and endeavor from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Taiwan Technical Mission.{{more}} By passing PINGCO’s bylaws and holding its first general meeting at the Community Center in Spring Village, PINGCO showed that it is ready to ‘Take Off’.

More than 40 farmers, agricultural officers and experts from the Mission attended PINGCO’s meeting. Renford Byam and Dan Richards, Agricultural Officer and Supervisor, respectively, from Region 1, strongly recommended that regional and local pineapple farmers should join PINGCO to effectively produce, deliver and market their pineapples.

The chief of the Mission, Chin-Yu LEE, shared successful experiences and updated techniques of pineapple co-operatives in Taiwan. He emphasized that the Mission will donate 10 rolls of plastic film valued at EC$1,000 to PINGCO to encourage production and extension. At the same time, the Mission also assigned an expert, Carlos Lai, to regularly visit the PINGCO members’ field and help them to improve and market their produce.

At the meeting, an executive committee was also elected. It is headed President Norgie Tucker, and includes Vice President Christiana Alexander, Secretary Enid Ferdinand, Assistant Secretary Rudolph Charles, Treasurer Wellington Dodds, P. R. O. Lester Williams, and Committee Member Vasilca Lewis. 22 farmers have already shown their interest in joining PINGCO. Farmers who want to become members of PINGCO can contact Dan Richards and Renford Byam for more details.