Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
August 01, 2008:
The Government of St.Kitts and Nevis as part of its initiative of privatization of certain public assets has decided to divest its interest in the Central marketing Corporation. The assets of the Corporation at both Pond’s pasture and Central Street locations will be sold and transferred to private ownership with effect from August 01, 2008. As a concequence the Central Marketing Corporation or CEMACO as it is affectionately known will no longer operate under government ownership.
The Central Marketing Corporation was conceptualised in 1970 by the Ministry of Agriculture in a response to a shortage of locally produced food.
It was envisaged that CEMACO would be part of a programme of modernisation of the agricultural sector which would have also included the establishment of agricultural production settlements, the creation of an Agricultural Extension Service that would provide knowledge transfer to farmers and backyard gardeners from district “Outreach Centres” and the establishment of delivery “Depots” in the rural areas to receive farmers produce.
The fore-runner organisation to the CEMACO was the government depot which was managed by the Ministry of Agriculture. This entity was located at Central Street and was engaged in the purchase and retail of local produce, selected dry-goods and frozen foods.
In 1975 a new structure was erected at Pond’s Pasture to house the newly created CEMACO. The operations of the government depot were absorbed into CEMACO on the 18th of August 1975.
CEMACO has served the public for 33 years as a provider of locally grown produce, dry goods and frozen foods.
The management of the CEMACO wish to say thanks to all of its faithful customers and suppliers for their dedicated patronage in the past.