The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has been conducting research into the utilisation of coconut husk by-products for agricultural purposes and recently acquired a coconut shredder.
The initiative is being conducted along with Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), and the Switzerland-based International Trade Centre.
NAREI’s studies have led to the production of coir and cocopeat, made from shredded coconut husks. A release from the Ministry of Agriculture stated that NAREI is exploring using coconut coir as mulch for soil as it is an excellent soil enricher, while cocopeat, the compressed form of coconut dust, has been found to be an excellent ingredient for potting mixtures. It was also noted that a recent study at the Hope Estate revealed that cocopeat was excellent for vegetable seedling production as well as coconut germination.
