 Agriculture on the move! Agriculture on the move, ma'am! Agriculture on the move! Hello again, Saint Lucia, and welcome to the program, Agriculture on the Move. My name, Philip Sidney, your host for the next half an hour. Before I introduce my guests, I will put this topic into context. We'll be talking about agricultural exhibition that we attended in Martinique over the weekend. But to put it in context, let me give you a little history. In November last year, a group of French persons came to Saint Lucia, invited by the Castries Constituency Council under the leadership of the worship Lendo Gabriel, who was the mayor of Castries, together with the collaborated with the Saint Lucia French Association under the leadership of Therese Samuel. And they hosted the French people here in November, where we put up a little business expo, exposing what it is that we do in Saint Lucia, as far as agro processing is concerned. After that was done, there was a discussion to reciprocate the activity, where Saint Lucia's will go over to Martinique to participate at an exhibition, which is an annual one. It's called Foei Agicol. It's an agricultural exposition that is done in Riviera Pilote, and it is organized by the mayor of Riviera Pilote, together with the farmers of Riviera Pilote. And that is where we were able to showcase some of our products in Saint Lucia by its participants. And with me are three of them here today, who are sitting in the studio. We have Srivita Halsey to my immediate right. We have Mr. Suwin Senkwa in the middle, and of course we have Janitha Rigobat to the extreme left. Welcome to the program. Thank you very much. OK, great. Of course, we had a wonderful time in Martinique. But before we get to that, I just want you to tell me, Miss Halsey, give us a little history, very short. Who is Srivita Halsey? I am a young entrepreneur. I've been in the field of entrepreneurship for the past 12 years. I'm passionate about good health, and I share the knowledge of how we can obtain good health and live a longer life. Great. Interesting. Short and sweet. Suwin, tell us. Well, I'm a very determined person. I push myself to the limit. One thing that's tough is if I'm injured or something. Bad would happen to me. But I always push myself. I'm driven. So I started doing CMOS, I think, like probably a year and a half ago, about that. And I realized the importance of health in a country. People really need to eat healthy, because healthy body is a strong mind. So I like to keep on pushing, because I'm into fitness as well. I want healthy body, good eating, and everything altogether. That's basically it. Great. Rigodollars. Yes. My name is Janita Rigodollars. Basically, I'm into business for about 10 years. So when I started my business, I started dressing dogs with dry leaves, different types of leaves. And I incorporated it with the madras, like the sentient madras. And a couple years on the road, I just branched out into teas and natural spices, because my current mother, who I raised with, was somebody who was like gardening. And I used to go to the farm with her sometimes. And I just decided to, like the ginger and the tumeric which is growing, just try to do something with it. And I decided to grind it, turn it into powder, from give it to a few friends to sample, and I get some good feedback. And now I have it on the market, and I have my natural teas as well. And my product is something that's very ideal to both children and adults. And it's no preservative, no additives. Very good. So you have been in this for 10 years? Yeah, basically, okay. And where have you, you do it from your home? Do you have a place where you do your agro-processing? Yes, I have a place that's certified to do my agro-processing. So how did you get through that, to get your place certified? Well, I registered with the St. Lucia Manufacturers Association. And even before I registered with the St. Lucia Manufacturers Association, I went to Environmental Health. I mentioned that to them, I told them that. And they told me, well, I need the sketch. They told me how to design the place, what I need. And then I gave them the sketch, they registered it, and they come and visit my place, and they take it from there. And they told me, yes, I'm satisfied. So I could go ahead and do what I had to do. Great. So where do you buy your raw materials from? 90% of my raw material I grow it. You grow it too? Yeah. So you're a farmer producer? Yes. But being because of the demand, I have to buy it from some of the farmers. But I never go on the farm. Most times I go at people I know. I have good friends I know. They grow in these things just by their home, by their doorstep, in the backyard. And I buy it from them. But to go on the farm, I never go on the farm because some of the farm, they use a lot of chemicals, a lot of pesticides on the farm. So 90% of what I use, I grow it. How many products do you really produce? I produce about, let's see, 10, 11, 14 different products. But in the spice shakers, I have basically about nine different flavors. Okay. And these are the things that you can, how do you use the things that you produce? Say that again? How do you use the things that you produce? Well, basically, for example, I grow the lemongrass. And when I harvest my lemongrass, I process it in, not, when I say I process it in, not in any own bad way, but in process it, in turn it into a teabag form. And some of them I have them in two shakers in spices form. Okay, so they like teas and you sell them in teabags? In teabags sachets. Yeah, I have them individually in the teabag sachets. How do you market those things then? Well, I have a Facebook page, sometimes I do market it and I have somebody marketing for me as well. And sometimes I go out there, they have different promotion out there, sometimes I take part in different events, which I market my product as well. Okay, but I was told you are in the Massey stores also? Yeah, I'm all Massey outlets. So how are you able to penetrate Massey? Well, when I, the reason, okay, sorry, how I penetrate it into Massey, I remember when I first introduced it to them, they told me I need backward and I need, they need certified, I need to be certified where I'm doing my product, need to be certified. So I brought a copy of this document for them and then a document from Environmental Health as well, the license to operate, I brought it for them. And when this other somebody will tell me, well, they have to take it to other people in authority. And if it's something that approved, they'll call me and they did call me, yeah, they did call me. So you supply them every week? Well, it's not every week. Basically, if like for example, I supply them with eight lemongrass, eight ginger, three more week, eight rosemary, it depends what they order. It's not to say they order a case, like depends the other units. So if for example, they order eight lemongrass, eight ginger, three more week, eight sourcups. And as time goes by, they realize the stock is going down. They'll tell me, well, they need another four to repainting or they need another five, but it's not something they're ordering by the case. Yeah. So apart from Massey, what else do you market? Dealies, taste of St. Lucia, point seraphim, if export St. Lucia. I have somebody that have a store on the airport down View Fort. Okay. And there's a hotel down Suffice Supply as well. And there's a lot of people that come down to St. Lucia, they buy for their loved ones when they're traveling back home. Yeah. Great, great. So you tell us about you. What do you market, you produce and what's your market? Melanade produces supplements, beverages, strictly natural beverages. We use strictly natural ingredients. We produce the Super Boost, which is an alkaline smoothie. The Super Cream, an alkaline milkshake. It's strictly plant-based. We produce the desserts. And I sometimes do catering for persons who are really unwell and would like to reverse the damage that the acidosis has already caused. So I am also aware that you are in the CMOS products. What do you do with your CMOS base? We only use strictly natural CMOS, so it's a limited amount of CMOS that we can use. What I do with the CMOS is the beverages. We also have, we use the Irish CMOS for the supplements. The beverages, the desserts, most of our desserts have CMOS in it, it's CMOS base. We have some really good, good tinctures that we have given to persons who are unwell. Examples, persons who had COVID or who have stomach issues. And this particular product, which is called Revive, it actually reversed the dam, they no longer feel unwell or the uneasiness that they had within the stomach area. It was done, it was reversed and they now feel good about their health. Okay, so where do you actually market your supplements? Our products are marketed online on social media. We also have a website, MelonadeMix.com. And most of the marketing is by word of mouth. Persons we have given the products to who has experienced that great result of good health, reversing the damage, they tell other people, they share that news, that good news with other persons. And then we just get a text message or WhatsApp or people just call us. And when I say us, I also would like to mention my daughter Chelsea, I'll say, she is the owner of Melonade, she's just 20 years old. And I am the alkaline life coach who gives off the knowledge, the wisdom about obtaining good health. Okay, so we need the two of you. Yes. Involving that business. Yes. Okay, where do you get your natural ingredients from apart from the Seamos product? We get our, most of our herbs, we get our herbs. Our herbs, the Seamos is from divers. Our herbs, we get it from some farmers. And some of the other, the fruits, the vegetable. We get it from some farmers and some vendors that we know who use strictly natural products. No GMO, no hybrids, no pesticides in their produce. Yes. Okay, great. So, Wynne, tell us about your, it's not Wynne Swain. Yes, Wynne. Tell us about your products. Well, basically I was a hustler. When I started off Seamos, I was, I didn't know much about it, like about, about maybe three years ago, I didn't know much. And as I improved, I got better. But what I realized that I have ability to speak to people and influence them. So, I decided one day to start to sell. So, at first I was just selling for people within my community. But then I realized I could sell more to others. So, I went through town and I started selling out like 25 bottles. And the 25 bottles a week turned to 30. And then the next week went to 40 and 50. And soon or later I was doing so much bottles in one day. I had a lot more work to do. And people keep on calling me. So, you know, I did batten and I'm a batten. So, I was learning a lot about Seamos. And I learned that Seamos has a very high mineral contents, which is 92 out of the 102 minerals the body needs. So, since I knew a lot about spices, how to mix water and how to mix, you know, stuff like chest power, how to put them together to make like a very good spice blend. I started doing that to kind of help boost the immune system, give you energy. And I started making like a proper punch. I'm putting it in a bottle and started selling it for many people. And, you know, even today people be calling me. So, I start just doing the small ones. Right now I'm expanding and doing more flavors. I try to do more things with the Seamos. And I incorporate that with like a healthy lifestyle because I work out. I have a page dedicated to doing fitness and also I have a page dedicated with the Seamos. So, I'm bringing everything together so that people take a very good punch, mix with a good work hard plan. So, that's basically my plan leading into the future. So, I just keep on improving every day. And the Seamos is getting popular day by day. So, I actually need a team of people to work here because I only work on my own, you know. So, how are you certified? Not as yet. Okay. So, you have something you're planning? Yeah, it is. I just started up. I just started up just coming up. So, I'm doing things like step by step by step. So, do you see in terms of locally marketing your product, do you think that you have enough products to market locally? I think I have enough products to market locally. I have customers all around and I just deliver to them. I just need like a team of people to work with because there is sometimes having, you know, certain things by package is easier, but by bottles, by drinks, they go really quick. And you need to supply people with 200, 300, 400 and you can't do it all by yourself, you understand? So, it's just getting a whole team of people together. To work with you? To work with me and then we could go for it. Where do you get your CMOS from? Well, I get my CMOS from, well, my brother father, he has a farm. I think he sells in the supermarket as well. I think it's Linda CMOS and family. I think he was the first person to start selling CMOS in the supermarket. So, I get it from them as well. I do get from other farmers because I take different kinds of CMOS and I blend them together because different CMOS, they have different texture. I think some of them have less or more mineral. Sometimes the quality is not all that. So, I need to get different ones and put them together to make this special shake. Very good. Oh, so, I mean, so you're aiming for the top? That's your objective, your aim. Why are we going, we're about to discuss, we're going to our break. We'll be back in a while. You're watching agriculture the more we do for our break. Stay tuned, we'll be back soon. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development continues placing heavy emphasis on the concept of food security. It's our prosperity, our future. The crop production unit conducts surveillance and monitoring for trans-boundary pests and diseases of quarantine importance for St. Lucia. It provides technical assistance in the areas of post-harvest technology, agro-processing and soil and plant tissue diagnosis. The unit facilitates prudent management of agrochemicals and toxic chemicals in an environmentally friendly manner for sustainable development. Soil analysis is also being carried out. Need further assistance on crop production? Contact the Senior Research Officer at 468-5601. Welcome back to the program, agriculture on the move, of course, with me. Here is, of course, we have Rigobots, Rigodolls, we have Swin and we have Miss Alsie. And just to tell you, you've heard them about what they do here in St. Lucia. Very interesting. They are all entrepreneurs and they are hoping to get to the top. They traveled with a contingent to Martinique over the weekend and that was facilitated by the mayor of the Castries Constituent Council, Miss, her worship mayor, Lendog Gabriel. And, of course, behind the scene was, of course, Hon. Richard Fedrick, who gave all the support to assist the Castries Constituent Council as far as the marketing was concerned, the financing was concerned. They facilitated both the fare fare and, of course, by the boat. They also facilitated the hotel accommodation and also the boarding and lodging and also whatever they traveled with that was paid for by them on the boat to ensure that every package reached in Martinique safely and sound. Together with them, there were another five persons which I will mention the names later on as we move on. But I just wanted to find out exactly from you all what was that experience like for you going to Martinique My experience, it was wonderful. I enjoyed the interaction with other entrepreneurs. I enjoyed how we all united and we came together and we were helping each other. I enjoyed meeting the new customers that we got and how they were so interested in the products that we supplied them that we provided for them. They were quite impressed. What they were really concerned about was okay, we love what we got. How can we get it? How can we reorder? They were very excited and my experience, I am very thankful that I got this opportunity to travel to Martinique and to feature, show my products and to share the knowledge of obtaining good health. How many persons, you know, said to you that they probably would, did you get a market with people interested in getting a product? Almost everyone who purchased from me, they asked me how can I reorder because I sell supplements. All of my products are supplemental products. So if you take it this month, you have to re-stock, you have to re-supply, you have to buy more. So this is what they wanted to know. So there is a market for the melanin product, the supplemental products. There is a market for everything that we brought, the teabags from Rigo Dolls. There is a market for it and they were asking us when are we coming back. So it was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot and I hope I am going back next year. Definitely. So tell me about your experience. My experience was incredible, I would say. What really happened the first day when I started to sell, I was like, oh my goodness, this is so much bottles. I would even start to clear that. But what I realized by the next day, afternoon didn't turn down, I had like 15 bottles left. I'm like, this is incredible. How many bottles you came up with? I came up with 365 bottles, something like that. Yeah, in two days they were all gone. I wouldn't even full two days, let's say. No, let's say less than that. You know what I mean? Less hours, maybe 40 hours and everything was gone. So that was incredible for me. I wasn't expecting it to go as quick as I could have been more. So you came back walking on one side, you rose on one side. Yeah, too much weight, so I had to hop. Yeah, so it was a remarkable feeling. What I did was, my mind said now that I've been there and I see how the society is, I'm actually going to jump back up there this month. So I'm going to go there because I actually got a call from some people and they were interested in getting more bottles and I'm like, I can't get over there. But what I'm going to do, I'm going to go over there and see how I can make a market for myself because I like to move fast, I'm an extreme helper. I was living in my rest days, even when I'm dreaming. In fact, as you mentioned that, I had a discussion with the mayor briefly this morning, not really official, but she wanted to know exactly how things went. Because Niky, I hope you get better Niky, I know you're not too well, I hope I didn't give you the bug. But Niky, of course, will be able to give a full rundown. I know we'll have a meeting. But one of the things that came up really is the marketing end of it. We are so close. And I believe that, I mean, there's a vessel already. So all we need to do now, and I'm thinking with Export Send Lusia, which I think I'll have to have a chat with Sonita, Daniel Onda, the CEO, to see whether we need to sit down and see how we can, they can facilitate that. Because I believe there is a market, there is a market, there's not two is about it. There's a market and we need to access that market, tap into it. And then by so doing, there's a chain reaction, because the farmers are going to produce more, you'll buy more from the farmers, and then you sell more. So there's a chain reaction. Regal, give us your experience. Yeah, my experience was fantastic. Because when I got the call from City Council and they called me and I was saying to myself, what? Unbelievable, because it's something I always used to talk about, always asking them to get that opportunity to showcase my product in Martinique. And when I got the call, when she said, I got your name from, she told me from who? You got the opportunity to go to Martinique, I said to her, I'm always asking for something like that, you know. And she said, yes, but she told me she'll call me next day to be more information about that. And I tell her, okay, and next day you called me, you told me you were the one who gave her the number. And I said to myself, but my man told me it wasn't her. Because we remember you always told me about that. Always talking about her, always. And life is patient. If you don't have patience and trust God, it will not be possible. And my experience, trust me, it was awesome. Because when I got up there, I remember I bought the spice from a few packets. And the first days, it wasn't even 12 o'clock when I sold out all. And I had the teas, a lot of people bought, I bought a lot of teas, a lot of shakers, like the spice shakers. And a lot of people was asking me, if they have to buy from me again, how are they able to get it? So I told them, well, maybe, maybe next year. That's what I told them. And there is an inclusion girl that I have chaired before then. She was telling us, and she told me, hey, Wednesday. I wanted to send two boxes up for me. So I tell her, I don't believe it would be possible for me to do it by Wednesday. So girls give me some chance and I'll let her know when I'll be able to get it from her. So she messaged me last night. This morning I told her, well, I have to work on it. So when it's ready, I'll let her know. Because I know I don't have it ready. So when there is another one who called me yesterday as well, in regards to the same thing as well, they need the product, they like it. And it's not all natural, no preservative, no additive. And it's a product that's ideal for both children and adults. So I find that opportunity, like I pray to God I get that opportunity next year, which I know we will. We will, definitely we will. Because there is a market for it. Yeah, definitely there is a market for it. So once you see I get the opportunity, just tapping to it. So you're able to sell almost everything at your house? Well, I'll say maybe 80% of what I went up with. And the price was right? Yeah, the price was right. Because I remember three or four people came by me and they told me I find your prices very reasonable. Yeah, they told me I find the prices reasonable. And so many came to my booth and asked me if I have seamos. I told them no. I told them there's a booth down there that has seamos. Some people ask seamos down there. They tell me but they don't have it finished. So I tell them, well, it's finished. But I myself don't sell seamos. I sell spices and teas. That's right. Yeah. Well, in addition to the three of you, we had veils, wines. Yes. And these brooms and veils, wines went like hall kicks. Yes. You know, and people are looking forward to that. Yes. We also had the Choisel crafters. Yes. You know, and they went well. This solution network of rural women, that is the Babu Nuklasta. Yes. You know, they had quite a few things also. We had some mixed products with barons, foods and other. And that was there. That went very well. Yeah. We also have the... Well, the St. Lucia distillers from up there itself. Yeah. You know, and they did a lot of tastings, you know. Yes. Yes. Yes. They didn't do not selling, but they were out doing tastings. Yeah. And that went very well too. And of course the promotion from the St. Lucia Tourism Authority. Yeah. We had the promotion booth. Yeah. Promoting jazz festival. Yes. Yes. You know what I said. So I think we had a potpourri of persons that went well. But what I also liked was the... I walked the entire exhibition and you had the livestock section. Yeah. We had fresh produce right next to us. Yes. The market. Yeah. And you see how well laid out these things were. Yeah. You had the agro processing section. Lots of honey in marketing. Yeah. And you have a series of honey producers. Oh. And that spells well for them. And of course the manufacturers, you know, the textile, the clothing line up. So I mean... And of course not forgetting the entertainment. You know, right next to us. Yes. Yes. And that kept us going. Mm-hmm. You know. But I must say... Before I end, I must say thank you to quite a few people. Of course, the mayor of Riviera Pilots, that is Jean Fossois Bonnel, if I pronounced it well. And then we have Mr. Lucien Adonis. This gentleman has been working with us, having this exhibition for many, many, many years. I worked with him. And he is still the president of the Farmers Association in Riviera Pilots. I want to say hello to him. Annie Lefroy, who was a seller marketing person for SLTA, the St. Lucia Tourism Authority. Cedric Jean-Marie, who is of course the socialist guy that was there. And we also had... Of course, don't forget Ms. Samuels. Ms. Samuels, yes, yes. I mean, she played a leading role. Yes, definitely. And she has been doing that for years. Yes, definitely. You know, as the president of the St. Lucia French Association. And of course, the Consul General for St. Lucia. That is Ms. Alison Joseph. She blessed us with her presence there. Yes, yes, she did. And of course, that was very nice of her. And of course, Nicky Cauldron, damn good job. Yeah. You know, I can't forget you. We worked well together before. And of course, again, it should have again, had this exposition. So, get well. I want to thank you again. And of course, I represented the Minzora culture to do the logistics. Mr. Marius Modest, who is a counselor at the Cassie's constituency council. And he was the communication man taking all the photos. And I'm hoping to get something coming from him, you know, as far as news was concerned. So, I really want to thank you all for being at the exhibition. And of course, I'm sure you're looking forward for next year. Thank you for being on the program to express yourself. And of course, I want you to continue working hard. And anywhere we can help, we can help. Feel free. Cauldron, I know you're very interested in my young man. Continue doing what you're doing. Continue what you're doing. Thank you. So, regularly, it's an old-fashioned thing. So, thanks again. Yeah, thanks. And I wish you success. Thank you. And I want to say a big thank you to the mayor's institution, the government's institution. Definitely. We make that weekend possible. Definitely. I would also like to put in my two cents. Tell me what to end with. Close ending. Okay. I'd like to thank the Taiwanese embassy and the prime minister, Honorable Philip J. Pierre, for allowing Melanie to go and be featured in Martinique. Beautiful. Great. You have been watching Agricultural Move. Thank you for being the program. Remember, agriculture is our business. And eat fresh. St. Lucia's best. I'm Philip Sidney, saying goodbye and see you again.