The Antigua Black Pineapple producers training session was the last activity of the FAO’s Mission here in Antigua.
A group of FAO Consultants have been meeting with various target groups to sensitize participants on GI as a tool for rural development and intellectual property protection and benefits for Antigua and Barbuda.
The objective of Monday’s meeting was to get into the details of specifications in terms of what can be defined to build a Geographical Indication on the Antigua Black Pineapple.
Although overseas-based FAO Consultant Catherine Teyssier thinks the Antigua Black has great prospect for becoming a GI, she thinks that the production of the commodity needs to be strengthened.
“I think its high potential for the local market because tourists in particular, they are looking for it, but we have some production issues as production today is really weak so there will be a need to support the producers,” Teyssier stated
In recent times, government is moving to bolster production of the local commodity with the Pineapple Expansion Programme at Cades Bay.
FAO Consultant, Mr. Julius Ross noted that discussions at yesterday’s meeting highlighted some of the problems and challenges which farmers are facing and they also came with some useful suggestions which can help to determine the specifications of the product in order to arrive at a GI.
According to Ross, based on the discussions, it was clear that planting material is one of the issues that they will have to look at with a view of giving very clear instructions.
A Pineapple taste test using local and imported pineapples was also conducted during yesterday’s meeting and based on the feedback, it was concluded that the Antigua Black was the preferred choice.
“The taste test that we did with the two pineapples; the imported one and the local one, was very interesting indeed and you can clearly see from the results that the Antigua Black is the preferred variety to the other one which was imported and although it was a small tasting, brought out the point of the quality of the Antigua Black Pineapple,” Ross said.
Ms. Ricki Camacho from the Antigua and Barbuda Intellectual Property and Commerce Office, welcomed the meeting and said that she is looking forward to working with the farmers in making the progressive step with regards to Geographical Indications.
“I think today’s session regarding technical specifications is very important to bring all the farmers/producers, who are really the most important part of this whole process, together. I think that it will benefit all of us in the future if we are able to work along with our farmers who really will make this whole process a success and really help us to define the Antigua Black with regards to technical specifications and I look forward to continually working with the farmers in hopes to one day registering the geographical indications that’s known as the Antigua Black Pineapple.”
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I like this move. It is long overdue. Our pineapple is good quality for real.
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