Sainsbury gave its commitment to work with WIBDECO and the Governments of the Windward Islands to modernise production systems and identify other products that farmers can grow profitably. Sainsbury has also given its support for organic products from Grenada, Dominica, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.  

Traditionally, Grenada has supplied the widest range of exotic tropical fruit from the Windward Islands to the UK.  The main crops  exported in recent years by the Marketing and National Importing Board (MNIB) include mango (Julie and Ceylon), golden apple, soursop, avocado, breadfruit, breadnut, papaya, sweet potato, sapodilla, yellow plum, red plum and hot pepper, among others. 
“Our products are therefore already well known and established in that market for their exotic taste. These were sold mainly to the wholesale markets and volumes have been small.  Importation of any of these products by Sainsbury and other major supermarkets will take our products to a new level into the mainstream,” according to MNIB General Manager, Fitzroy James.

WIBDECO recently completed a feasibility study to establish the potential for diversifying its product base into exotic tropical fruit and fruit products from the Windward Islands for export to the UK and other international markets.

The Agency for Reconstruction and Development commissioned a detailed Study entitled ‘Developing the Fruit Sub-Sector’ for Grenada, which outlines the potential, basis and requirements for diversifying the agricultural sector through large scale production of fruits with overseas demand. The Study, which has been forwarded to the Ministry of Agriculture for consideration, presents a comprehensive approach to developing the fruit sub-sector that addresses production, harvesting and post harvest handling, marketing, extension services and farm management.