Latest update December 19th, 2024 3:22 AM
Mar 29, 2014 News
The agro-processing sector has been among those to have made significant developments during the year 2013.
As such, the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) is experimenting with a number of initiatives to strengthen that aspect of the agriculture industry.
The GMC, in collaboration with the Guyana Agro Processors Association (GAPA), yesterday hosted an Agro Processors forum at the Guyana International Conference Centre, located at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
The forum, accompanied by an exhibition of local products, sought to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to interact with agro-processors to address some of the issues affecting the sector so as to develop a road map to develop and sustain the industry for years to come.
Those in attendance included representatives from the Food and Drugs Department, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, commercial banks, standards institutions and interest groups.
Addressing the gathering, Ramanand Prashad, President of the Guyana Agro Processors Association, welcomed the effort and the collaboration with GMC.
He said that he “hopes that the forum will build the awareness and synergy with all stakeholders in helping to move the sector forward”.
He believes that the agro-processing sector is very important to building Guyana’s economy.
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said that apart from rice and sugar, his Ministry is looking to have a 100 percent increase of agro processed products by 2020.
However, a major problem within the agro-processing industry lies with labeling and packaging of the processed products, and Dr. Ramsammy stressed that his Ministry is “looking for improved labeling and packaging”.
The Agriculture Minister highlighted, too, that they are pursuing a 100 percent increase export between the years 2015 to 2020.
Additionally, the Agriculture Ministry wants to see at least 50 percent of agro processing facilities becoming FDA approved by the end of 2014 and 100 percent by 2016.
As it relates to becoming certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Dr Ramsammy said that he wants at least one entity obtaining certification by 2017, and at least three by 2020.
The forum also encouraged contract farming, an initiative being pursued by the Agriculture Ministry.
The ‘contract farming’ system, as Dr. Ramsammy explained, will see farmers being paired with agro-processors so as to facilitate them with an adequate supply of the produce needed to make their packaged goods.
The Agriculture Officer responsible for Region Six said that contract farming has been growing in that region.
The Minister told Kaieteur News during an interview that the aim of contract farming is to guarantee markets for farmers, while ensuring that agro-processors have a sufficient and steady supply of raw materials.
He said that this is a good thing, and it shows that Guyana’s agro-processing industry has great potential to develop and expand, significantly benefiting the economy, by way of exports.
It is to this end, Dr Ramsammy said, that the Agriculture Ministry, and by extension the Guyana Government, is looking to phase out bottom-house agro-processing.
“A major problem is that not many of the agro-processors are licensed, and to be licensed, the producers have to ensure that their facilities are on par with that which is required by international buyers.”
In order to further motivate and persuade agro-processors to upgrade their working area, and become licensed, Dr. Ramsammy said also that the Guyana Shop will not be purchasing from unlicensed operators.
At present, local agro-processors are afforded the opportunity to showcase their produce during one of the monthly exhibitions held on the lawns of the Guyana Shop, which falls under the purview of the Guyana Marketing Corporation. The entity sells strictly locally produced items, and also provides the platform to extensively promote local agro-processors.
The Agriculture Minister added that in addition to promoting local produce, its many fascinating byproducts and the makers of them, the exhibitions are held to show members of the public how much the local quality and standards of the packaging and labeling industry have improved over time. The most recent activity was a pineapple exhibition.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ramsammy acknowledged that while the quality and taste of locally-made products are on par and in some cases better than those from other countries, the not-so-advanced packaging and labeling of these are hindrances on the international market.
“People would look at the package that is more attractive, and buy that, so this is where Guyana is at a disadvantage,” Dr. Ramsammy said, stressing that “our products itself are as good as anything you will get anywhere else”.
Speaking with this publication on the sanitary conditions of bottom-house agro-processing, representative of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Wilmot Garnett said that IICA works with ‘Agriculture Health and Food Safety’ to ensure that the local products are “export-ready”.
Garnett reiterated that his entity remains committed to the Ministry of Agriculture and its partners in development, to continue modernization of the agriculture sector in Guyana.
Garnett said that next year will see IICA concentrating on addressing the issue of production cost with focus on the ground level.
“We will work with the farmers, being very clear and letting them know the details that they can consider so as to make a profit,” he said.
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