Caribbean Initiative to Strengthen Regional Agricultural Trade Framework
March 25, 2026
Paramaribo, Suriname — 26 March 2026
Grenada holds a unique position in global agricultural trade as the only country in the world authorized to export fresh, non-irradiated soursop to the United States. This vital industry supports over 2,600 farmers and contributes an estimated USD 2.6 million annually to the national economy.
To protect this vital sector the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands & Forestry in Grenada, and the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) implemented the “Enhancing Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Capacity and Market Access for Grenadian Soursop Exports” project.
As part of this initiative, a three-day capacity-building workshop on Risks and Anticipatory Frameworks for the Soursop Industry was held at the National Stadium in Grenada from February 9 to 11, 2026, facilitated in partnership with the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA).
Through CAHFSA’s technical expertise, the workshop successfully equipped 31 local experts with knowledge in plant health surveillance, early pest detection, risk management, and emergency response planning all aimed at protecting the soursop value chain from farm to export market, and reinforcing CAHFSA’s commitment to safeguarding agricultural health and food safety across the Caribbean.
For more information, visit FAO website: https://www.fao.org/americas/news/news-detail/soursop-valued-economy/en
