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The nutmeg industry is and will continue to be a very important industry in the economy of Grenada since it impinges on the lives of thousands of Grenadians.
The onus is on the GCNA to continue insisting and demanding from farmers high quality materials and maintaining strict quality control in all stages of processing and introducing new technologies to advance cost effectiveness and efficiency in the entire spectrum of processing and operations.
The onus is further on the GCNA, the Government of Grenada, the relevant personnel and institutions (i.e Grenada Produce Chemist Laboratory) to strengthen research and development in all aspects of the industry especially so in product diversification. This may be pursued locally or through regional or international co-operation.
The concept of a Nutmeg Institute or a Centre of Excellence for nutmeg studies based in Grenada should not be a dream but a targeted goal.
POTENTIAL PRODUCTS
The author is suggesting that the nutmeg plant and fruit be viewed as a total product.
Thus consideration could be given to fixed oil (nutmeg butter), essential oil and oleoresin from nutmeg kernel and essential oil and oleoresin from mace. There is the potential for varying the product range by using different types of raw materials. One may not stop at the primary but secondary and tertiary products are envisaged. Thus, the fixed oil may be cleaned up to yield its riches component trimyristin which may be chemically transformed into other products i.e myristic acid etc.
The spent residue from the extraction of fixed oil, essential oil and oleoresin must be seen as a by-product with the potential to be used as fuel or possible potting materials or growing medium. Additionally, powders and pieces generated for the processing operations should be viewed as potential byproducts for other end products. Similarly, the cracked shells must be harvested for their potential to be transformed into fuel, brickets, carbon black or feed stock among others.
The ripe pods of the nutmeg fruit should be exploited to the fullest. There should be innovative and creative extension of the range of agro-products now prepared or manufactured from the pod. The emphasis to date has been on sweet products but there is room for low sweet, bland or salty products. Rotting pods are potential soil mix.
The two spices from the nutmeg tree, nutmeg and mace which have contributed to Grenada being called the "Isle of Spice", may yet to realize their fullest potential to spice and season the Grenadian economy and the lives of its people.