Dear Dominican Farmer: 

For over a hundred years you have been the unwavering backbone, the very foundation of our country’s economy; opinions to the contrary notwithstanding. Owing to your hard work and dedication to the soil and nature, many Dominican children have been given the opportunity of an advance education; many roads and public infrastructure have been paved and erected; and, irrespective of many acceptable projects and programs in other aspects of the economy, the hope of our shared country still lies, in a great extent, upon your toil, sweat and blood.

Farmer, understandably the erosion of banana prices is a vexing reality, but with perseverance lead by divine purpose we can, together, collectively, set anew a path to diversification that can be rewarding. The present price of vanilla, upwards of US$500 per kilo presents a window of opportunity to generate diversified income and to alter the weight of dependency on bananas. I am not recommending that we deviate from plans that include bananas; I am humbly suggesting that we interplant vanilla (vanilla strives on 50 percent shade) within our present cultivation of bananas, coconuts, coffee, et cetera.  

ForesTrade, a leading international organic and natural product development and marketing entity that specializes in the production and marketing of coffee, spices, and essential oils has expressed genuine interest in buying organic vanilla from Dominica. The company will, upon receiving the permission and understanding of Dominica’s farmers, establish a pilot project in Dominica and has pledged to provide FREE marketing and technical expertise. The company will work in tandem with Mr. Finbar Hopkins, who is a director of WINFARM and an organic specialist with the Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association. It is noteworthy to highlight that ForesTrade already buys organic nutmeg from Grenada and have initiated a dialogue with the Ministry of Agriculture of St. Vincent to explore developing an organic arrowroot project in this sister island. 

Farmer, the current price of vanilla is tellingly attractive and it is unquestionable that we should explore the possibility of cultivating and marketing once again a crop that is notorious for striving tremendously well in Dominican soil. Many entities, including the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Company, have contacted Buydominica.com in reference to buying vanilla from Dominica. This is REAL. I implore every Dominican farmer, DEXIA, the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Association of Youth in Agriculture, the Farmers Union and other groups with the interest of the farmer at heart to consider reviving the Dominica Vanilla Growers Association and to reach a consensus on working with ForesTrade and other spice traders at home and abroad.

For further information on ForesTrade -  www.forestrade.com

 With Profound Respect and Gratitude,

Director 
www.buydominica.com

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