Caribbean African Agricultural Network: Dominica Agricultural Producers & Exporters Ltd.

Dominica Agricultural Producers and Exporters Ltd. (DAPEX) was founded in 2002. It was then registered as Dominica Banana Producers Ltd./DBPL, and re-registered in 2010. The Company is owned by farmers, employees, and others.

DAPEX was previously engaged as the TESCO Nature’s Choice banana exporter through WIBDECO (now Winfresh), and exported 15000 boxes of bananas to the UK. Since 2008, It is the lead Company in Dominica engaged in agricultural exports to the Caribbean.

DAPEX has exported as much as 5000 boxes of bananas a week to the Caribbean. The Company has a brief history in St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. Marteen. It has exported 4000 boxes of bananas a week or 50% of the market to Trinidad; and also exports 50% to the market in St. Kitts. In 2011, DAPEX exported EC$1.0 million or US$0.37 million to Barbados, Trinidad, and St. Kitts. The Company has gained the expertise and experience in exports of a range of 28 crops including bananas, plantain, avocado, sweet potato, ginger, coconuts, dasheen, tannia, christophene, pineapple, mango, passion fruit, papaya, limes, sweet pepper, pink grapefruit, and more...

Prospects

DAPEX has positioned itself as the lead export Company in Dominica. The Company has forged strategic working relationships with some of the main traders and largest markets in Barbados, Trinidad, and in St. Kitts. In the USA the Company has forged marketing relationships with the Caribbean Agricultural Network (CAN) for exports development for ginger and dasheen. In 2013 and 2014, DAPEX revenue from exports is an average of EC$1.0 million or US$0.36 million. The Company’s marketing efforts will be enhanced by a program of promotional branding and a stronger market presence.

Agricultural Inputs Distributor Ltd.

In March 2003, DAPEX registered its first subsidiary company: Agricultural Inputs Distributor Ltd./AIDL. This is established to provide the full range of agricultural supplies in support of its production and exports business. AIDL has become an important commercial entity for DAPEX. Farmers and shareholders also benefit from group discount sales policies.