Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said cocoa which historically is a minor crop, is emerging now in St Vincent, with some 850 acres bring utilized for production.
Gonsalves said currently there are over 350 persons employed within the industry.
At a press conference on Thursday 14th June, Gonslaves lauded praise on the investors and particularly Mr Harry Marriot who is a British Resident but also a citizen of St Vincent, for the work he has done so far in the revitalization of the crop.
Gonsalves said there is a call for more lands however there is an issue that must be worked on first.
“ I know they want more lands, they want to ramp up to 2000 acres, the problem is this, they have to work out an arrangement with farmers whom government have allocated lands”.
Gonsalves says no one can’t expect him to go and take away lands from farmers to whom government have given and hand it over to the Cocoa Company.
“ So I think there has to be some working relationship in that regard, the Minister of Agriculture is handling such matters, and Mr Andrew Hadley who is the manager of the cocoa company understands that”.
Gonsalves said in the area of coffee this year they would be exporting 40 tons and in 2019 some 120 tons.