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The reasons of the Business Minister I find pathetic
Dear Editor;
This letter is in response to the Hon Minister of Business’ statement that the coconut industry can make a great contribution. Though I agree with that statement, I find the Minister’s three supporting reasons to be superficial and pathetic to say the least. First of all the increase export of any product should increase foreign earnings, if not, noone should be exporting. I feel that he should have clearly shown how Guyana can export more coconut and coconut products in order to clarify the rhetoric. Mr. Minister you are a business man, you should know how to.
The Minister also went on to say that Guyana exports US$5 M annually in coconut products. Well I do not think that information is correct. Look, if Guyana was exporting US$3M, you would have already seen a more robust coconut industry. After only 1 year of The Philippines exporting coconut nut oil to the US, anyone could have clearly seen the improvements in the industry- new equipment and strategic alliances between Government and the private sector. They had not even exported US$1M when that happened. I have had meetings with some of the largest coconut oil producers and none of them export to the US. I even implored of them, lets come together and take over the US market. I urged that we export one container every three months. I got a resounding “wha??? That’s too much”. Where is the vision here? So I am worried about the Minister’s ambitious assumptions.
The second point the Minister puts out is that increase growth and consumption of coconut products can reduce spending on imported foods. Mr Minister what products are you specifically referring to? What are your plans to have Guyanese consume more of these coconut products? Last May I visited ALL of the major supermarkets in Georgetown specifically researching how many carry Guyanese made coconut oil and other coconut products; it was less that 7%. I visited many family and friends and only one friend uses coconut oil for cooking. I asked a family why isn’t she using coconut oil, her response to me; “That oil tastes and smells bad”. Mr. Minister how are you going to increase local consumption with this type of perception? Mr Editor, over the past 2 years I have 10% of my neighbors in the US regularly using coconut oil.
Then the point about enhancing the visitors’s experience needs more insight. Not everyone enjoys pure coconut water. That’s why you see so many successful brands like Naked, Goya, Vita Coco etc are all adding flavours specifically to enhance the drinking experience.
Lastly, that piece of equipment in the article that is captioned as an innovative way to extract water from the coconut is definitely not innovative. Just visit any beach in Brazil or even Thailand and everyone has them. They are less rustic that the one in your article.
Mr. Editor, I am not here to bash anyone. I am here to help! I just feel that if we want to say things then let’s cut to the chase. I honestly give kudos to the organisers of the Coconut Festival for taking on such an initiative. I am all in!
Doc Jay
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