Marper Farm

Marper Farm was acquired by Government in 1928 for the purpose of cocoa research programmes in the Ministry of Agriculture. During the period 1935-1949, a geneticist called F.J. Pound established seventeen (17) collections of disease-free bud wood material at Marper. These are referred to as the “P” or “POUND” clones. These clones, among others, served as parents of what is known as the most successful cocoa breeding programme in the world, resulting in the Trinidad Select Hybrids or TSH varieties. In 1945 Marper Farm was expanded for use as a propagation station, producing plants for farmers and householders.

The Marper Farm operated as an important propagation station during the period 1950-1994 and was a major supplier of budded and grafted cocoa, avocado, citrus and other fruits for the farming public of the north east and south east Trinidad due to its strategic location. In 1994 the farm was downsized through the removal of its primary function as a propagating station and the staff was reduced by 60%. The remaining workers were utilized mainly in the upkeep and maintenance of field tree crop germplasm and compound.

The Marper Farm was reactivated in September 2011 with major activities including:

The production and distribution high quality planting material – citrus, coconut, mango, avocado and mixed fruits
Preservation and Conservation of key fruit types and other useful plant germplasm – Cocoa and other orchard type fruit trees