The Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) has committed US$7.8 million to the Coconut Industry Board (CIB) for research to find coconut varieties that are resistant to the lethal yellowing disease.

The research will involve hybrid testing of 800 varieties of coconut found in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa to identify strains that are totally resistant to the bacteria that causes the disease.

This was announced by Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Errol Ennis, while addressing a post sectoral debate news conference on May 19 held at the Office of the Prime Minister, Hope Road.

“The CIB has been doing a great job in dealing with the presence of the disease locally. However, the mistake that was made in the past was believing that having arrested the disease previously, it would never come back,” the State Minister said.

“We are now of the view that it is something that needs continuous research, because the disease shows the ability to regenerate itself, which is a serious threat,” he added.

Mr. Ennis pointed out that the CIB was currently diversifying traditional planting areas from the eastern end of the island to the south and western ends.
The CIB is also working in conjunction with the University of the West Indies (UWI) to find the genetic derivation of the bacteria that causes yellowing.