A cracked industry?
More spices are grown per hectare on one particular island than in any other
place in the world. Cloves, cinnamon, pimento and ginger are all produced,
amongst others, but it is nutmeg which is the island's largest export.
Indeed, its contribution
to the national economy has been so greatly valued that the nutmeg fruit is
symbolized in the national flag. Second only to Indonesia, the small island of
Grenada is the world's second largest exporter of this rich and highly aromatic
spice, and an estimated Grenadian 6,000 farmers derive their main income from
nutmeg-associated industries.
Patience bears fruit...
On Grenada, the big nutmeg plantations from colonial days no longer exist and the nutmeg trees, Myristica fragrans, are grown by small farmers all over the island, especially in the rich volcanic soils of the rainforest areas. Unlike most other trees, nutmeg trees are dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female plants. It takes some time before the sex of the trees can be determined as it takes over five years for the trees to flower; the males are then thinned out: leaving one male for every ten females. Fruiting begins at the age of five-seven years although full bearing may take up to fifteen years. From this time, a single mature tree may produce up to 2,000 nutmegs per year and continue producing for at least another 50-80 years.
Another unusual characteristic of the nutmeg tree is that it produces two distinct spices: nutmeg (the kernel) and mace - the red membrane, which enwraps the brittle shell surrounding the nutmeg. Both spices are similar in aroma and taste although mace is more delicate and is commonly used as flavouring in sausages. The fleshy fruit, (or pericarp), which encloses the two spices, is known as the nutmeg pod. This was formally a waste product but, as it is also aromatic, it is now utilized in the manufacture of many Grenadian nutmeg products, including jam, jelly, liqueur and syrup. The shell is also used, not in food products but as mulch, path surfacing, and as a fuel for burning.
...but is the fruit turning bad?
Despite the diversity of the nutmeg industry in Grenada, exports have been
affected in recent years by the decline in world demand for raw nutmeg and,
during the early 1990s, the breakdown of a marketing agreement with Indonesia.
70% of the world's nutmeg is produced by Indonesia and, with the break-up of
the cartel, the Indonesians flooded
the
market and nutmeg prices plummeted. With prices also declining for banana and
cocoa, smallholder farmers on Grenada have been hit hard and poverty across the
island has doubled in the last decade.
Plans to purchase nutmegs directly from farmers instead of through the Grenada Co-operative Nutmeg Association, which currently has the sole right to purchase local nutmegs, sent waves of instability rippling across the island during early 2001. A new company, W&W Spices, has spoken of intentions to buy tons of nutmegs to manufacture oils and other added value products, which is seen by some senior government officials as crucial to the survival of the industry. However, the GCNA is concerned that the move to deal directly with farmers will destabilize the industry.
Although guidelines were laid down recently by the GCNA to aid the survival of the industry, the Association suffered a further setback in August 2001 when workers at nutmeg processing and receiving stations throughout the island took industrial action. The strike was initiated as a result of the Association's failure to agree to a $2.50 wage increase for daily paid workers, following negotiations which began almost 12 months earlier. The matter has since been resolved although the GCNA Chairman has said that the strike had resulted in severe losses to the industry.
Traditionally, nutmegs have provided a steady income for Grenadian farmers. Indeed, locally the tree is known as the 'retirement' tree as the sale of nutmegs was, at one time, a better option, than most pension funds. This is no longer the case and many Grenadian farmers are faced with the prospect of an uncertain old age. For the young, the future is equally bleak. Agriculture has little appeal for providing a secure livelihood and many are leaving the island. Nutmeg may still account for a significant proportion of the island's exports but it could be questioned whether the industry is still a source of national pride.
