 The use of CMOS as an alternative for thickener and emulsifier is growing in popularity in St. Lucia and around the world because it is naturally abundant in nutrients like vitamin K, iron, iodine, magnesium, and calcium. Despite the product being in high demand, St. Lucia producers face a number of challenges in expanding the market, both domestically and internationally, due to their limited capacity for product development. It is against this backdrop that the St. Lucia Development Bank, one of the many sector organisations represented at the recent CMOS Fiesta, hosted by the Agriculture Ministry, currently offers a number of financing options for those looking to expand into the production of CMOS and its derivatives. Business Development and Marketing Manager Philbert Francis says the organisation is dedicated to supporting the industry, confidently armed with a suite of services to assist farmers in expanding their capabilities and improving their output. We know the country relies on tourism heavily, but there is need for diversification and so we would go all out to assist the farmers. There may be occasions when they need to perhaps construct drying facilities and so we would want to encourage them to utilise, you know, perhaps dryers that are more sophisticated because we know the international market is very sensitive and so we can offer financing in these areas. The whole question of the cultivation of the CMOS, whatever implements they require to do that, we can provide funding in that area. When I walked around also some of the persons here, I know they have bottled, you know, some of the produce and they've taken a marker and just wrote what is in there. We can assist them in getting proper levels, even the whole labeling machines and so on. So there is a wide array of opportunities that are available to them if they come to the SNLV. As CMOS cultivation continues to be a significant contributor to the income of many families in the seven communities, Minister for Agriculture Honourable Alfred Prosper says producers should capitalise on the available opportunities to improve their product quality as the sector's success directly affects their livelihoods. Recognising the CMOS sector's current challenges, he explains that the ministry's focus is on improving the marketing, branding and quality of CMOS products in order to meet the standards of a highly competitive international market. If we have to really benefit from the value added from those byproducts, we need to take it to the supermarket shelves and then consider export. So I would like to see the soaps and all the other products that I viewed there in terms of what I saw a while ago take it to the next level and that is where the ministry, the government, understanding the value of that, our government, the SNLV and Labour Party government approved $300,000 to assist the CMOS farmers with promotion, marketing, branding. But we really want to get the other entities of government to come in, like Bureau of Standards, the NARAF facility, to be able to test those products and to ensure that we have a brand, a brand of products that can be sold outside of St. Lucia and that would help our country in terms of value added. According to Minister Prosper, the Agriculture Ministry remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting capacity development, training and financial assistance for existing and new CMOS growers in order to raise their quality and capacity to create a thriving CMOS sector. From the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, I am Manicia Antoine reporting.