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“We are looking to cultivate the foods that we import” – Agri. Minister
…Broccoli, carrots, to be grown locally
In an effort to further reduce Guyana’s food import bill, the Ministry of Agriculture is looking to commence commercial cultivation of a number of imported vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, soybeans, carrots, garlic and some spices.
Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy told Kaieteur News during a recent interview that the required testing for the production of these and other commercial food crops have commenced.
Broccoli
The Minister pointed out that while most of the vegetables are being grown locally, this is being done on a small scale.
Over the last 10 years or so, these two vegetables have been increasing in popularity among the Guyanese public, with numerous restaurants across the country now preparing delicacies containing broccoli and cauliflower.
In 2010, under the administration of former Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Agriculture Corps, via a “special” programme, delivered promising results in the cultivation of a few “exotic” vegetables like the aforementioned cauliflower and broccoli.
Four years ago, the GDF’s programme utilized ‘shaded cultivation’ – a modern farming system where the crops are grown in a sheltered environment utilizing technology which avert the direct effects of excessive rainfall and sunlight.
The vegetables were grown in elevated plant beds under a structure, which is roofed with molten and woven UV resistant plastic. The elevated beds are to prevent water logging which sometimes occurs at ground level planting.
At that time, the people involved in the project had envisaged an expansion, since the planting of the high priced vegetables for the Force’s consumption would reflect positively on its food bill.
To this end, Dr. Ramsammy, who later became the Agriculture Minister, said that he is pursuing the aforementioned vegetables as commercial crops.
He reflected that during 2013, specific emphasis was placed on the reduced importation of soybean, corn, black eye, cauliflower, broccoli, sweet peppers, and spices.
Kaieteur News understands that approximately 20 varieties of hybrid corn, obtained from International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre-CIMYT, were planted and evaluated at Ebini, Region 10.
As a result, the five best varieties were identified for commercial planting.
Cauliflower
In addition, black eye, hybrid and soybean are currently being produced at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, and on the Essequibo Coast.
According to Dr. Ramsammy, the strategy entails that the produced corn and soybean be used to make livestock feed.
He said that the Ministry of Agriculture is hoping for success within the next two-year period.
Dr. Ramsammy also sought to boast that carrots are being grown in the compound of his Regent Street, Georgetown office.
He said that many of the successes of the Ministry can be attributed to the hard work by the staff of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI).
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