By Leonard GildarieAn Indian expert has been retained to revitalise Guyana’s coconut industry but the emphasis will not be on just the exports of the actual nuts. Rather, Dr. Shivarama Reddy has been tasked to come up with ways to ensure the country introduces new coconut-based products and even improve a project to bottle the water.This came even as authorities are reporting coconut exports of almost 4,500 tonnes for the first six months, a staggering number when it is considered that only 2,700 tonnes were shipped for the entire 2009.Reddy will be working closely with the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), an arm of the Ministry of Agriculture.The scientist yesterday met with Minister Robert Persaud, NARI’s Director, Dr. Oudho Homenauth,Cheap Jerseys From China, and General Manager of the Hope Estate,NFL Jerseys Wholesale, Rabindranath Persaud.The technical official will have to map the way forward for Guyana’s coconut industry and suggest practical value-added products, in addition to the traditional oil and coconut water.Guyana had requested the help of the Indian government and Dr. Reddy is expected to stay for two years.Already, to revive the Hope Estate coconut farm, the Ministry of Agriculture has plugged an estimated $9M to equip and modernise facilities in a plan to establish coconut water bottling there. However, Dr. Reddy will have to examine the project and possibly improve on it, working both with farmers and the private sector.One of the main objectives of the project, according to Persaud, would be looking at ways to further boost production.He acknowledged that the weakest links are the product development and technical support aspects, which hopefully will be addressed with the doctor’s input.In Guyana, an estimated 20,000 hectares are under coconut cultivation with many farms abandoned in the ’80s as the demand for the oil dropped.However, with pharmaceutical companies and others realising the value of the nut, the export demand has surged within recent years with many farms now being revived, and even the soft drink companies being invited to come onboard to invest in bottling the water.According to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture, exports peaked at the highest in recent years in March with 953 tonnes. This fell to 758 tonnes in April but climbed to over 900 tonnes the following month.Coconut exports dramatically increased almost tenfold last year, earning $120M as compared to almost $16M in 2008.According to figures tabulated by the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC) earlier this year, more than 2,700 tonnes of coconut was shipped out. Only 268 tonnes were recorded for the previous year. In 2009, exports of coconut products, which included coconuts, copra, water, crude oil and choka,Wholesale Jerseys, saw earnings reaching over $500M when compared to almost $200M the previous year.Copra exports also jumped 60 per cent to 3,249 tonnes earning $249M while coconut water exports stood at 32 tonnes in 2008 when compared to the 112 tonnes achieved last year, earning $10M.However, coconut crude oil saw a major jump with $145M earned, as against $36M in 2008. This year, coconut continued to be an area in which the exports seem to be hitting the roof. In March alone, 953 tonnes was shipped out earning almost $79M. Only six tonnes were exported in March last year.Earlier this year, General Manager of the New GMC, Nizam Hassan, said that the exported coconuts were used by Trinidad, Antigua and the Dominican Republic to make canned milk, copra and other value-added products.India,Cheap China Jerseys, a country with a 3000-year tradition in coconut cultivation, is one of the leading producers of coconuts in the world, accounting for 13 billion nuts every year. It is highly rated for producing one of the best grade milling copra in the world and yielding high grade coconut oil known for its aroma and flavour.**************************Public forum on Guyana’s human rights obligations today – Extra judicial killings, corporal punishment, gay rights on agendaMembers of the public are being invited to a civil society?consultation on Guyana’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of its?human rights obligations.This consultation is being convened by the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) as a public discussion.The event is scheduled for this today from 4:30pm at the Brickdam Presbytery,Cheap Jerseys From China, opposite the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Brickdam.Guyana is presently under consideration for the?Universal?Periodic Review (UPR) process by the?Human Rights Council. The first part of the process concluded at the eighth session of the workin