St. Vincent and the Grenadines Launches 2020 Citrus Replanting Initiative

Minister of Agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Hon. Saboto Caesar, congratulated technicians in the Ministry of Agriculture for their work to ensure the success of the citrus replanting initiative.

Citrus production in St. Vincent and the Grenadines has declined in recent years due to the presence of the citrus greening or huanglongbing disease. This disease was first detected in 2010 on the Grenadine Island of Canouan.

From there, it spread throughout the mainland of St. Vincent. The bacteria that infects the citrus trees is spread by a small insect, the citrus psyllid. To manage the disease, the Ministry of Agriculture made a number of interventions as follows:

1. In 2015, 2016, and 2017, the natural enemies of the citrus psyllid were imported from Florida to suppress the population of the vector.
2. Insect proof greenhouses were retrofitted and established at Rivulet Station to propagate clean planting material and for foundation blocks.
3. Disease free seeds and budwood material were imported from USDA Germplasm in California.
4. Foundation blocks with trees planted in pots and in the soil to collect seeds and budwood for future use were established at Rivulet and the Orange Hill Biotechnology Center.
5. A chemical and nutritional spraying program was implemented and ten (10) large farmers were selected to work specifically on that program.
6. Capacity building for farmers and technicians in identification and management of the disease were held in each of the three (3) Agricultural regions. The Ministry continues to spray all fruit trees.
7. A new propagation greenhouse was built and new varieties were also imported under the Japan Caribbean Climate Change Project.

Currently, there are about 1,000 grafted citrus plants along with some rough lemon rootstocks that are also in demand available to farmers. The technician leading the program is Dr. Rafique Bailey (Entomologist) along with the technical staff Osborne Labban, Donna Duncan, Lasha Cambridge, Idalberto Naranjo, and Semoneaca Williams and the field staff at Rivulet Station.

Varieties of citrus plants currently available include:

• Valencia Oranges (Olinda, Frost, Cutter, Delta, Dom Jao, Pehson #4, Midnight);
• Navel Oranges (Fukomoto, Lane late, Leng);
• Blood Oranges (Moro Blood Oranges);
• Sweet Oranges (Jincheng Sweet Oranges, Cadenero);
• Grapefruits (Oro blanco, Rio Red);
• Lemon (Interdonato, Frost Eureka, Seedless Lisbon, Variegated Pink Lemon, 8 A Lisbon);
• Lime (Persian Lime, Lima Lime, Palestine sweet Lime, Mexican Lime); and
• Tangerine Orange (Dweet Tangor, Ponkan);

Recognizing that these plants are in very high demand, the Ministry will begin distribution on 9th June 2020. The Ministry will also be ensuring that resources are allocated to increase the production of these plants over the next 12 months.