Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Guyana Shop expands to other Regions
– establishment at CJIA likely before year end
In wanting to further promote the local agro-processing industry, the Ministry of Agriculture has moved to expanding the Guyana Shop to Regions all across the country.
A few supermarkets located in Berbice Region Six and Essequibo, Region Two are now equipped with a Guyana Shop corner, which showcases and sells strictly locally produced and packaged products.
Some local products on display at the Guyana Shop
The Agriculture Officer responsible for Berbice told Kaieteur News during a brief interview that the Guyana Shop initiative has been picking up in that Region. He said that as a result of the increased promotions, more persons are becoming curious and asking about local agro-processing, and how they can get involved.
Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, also told this newspaper during an interview that the plan is to establish a “Guyana Shop Corner” in at least one major supermarket in each Administrative Region.
He believes that the success of this initiative will help to not only boost local agro-processors and their businesses, but will also provide a platform for consumers to purchase more locally produced items.
Located at the corners of Alexander and Robb Streets, Georgetown, the original Guyana Shop was established in 2012 with the aim of promoting the buying of locally produced products.
Each month, the entity hosts an exhibition, where the byproducts of a particular raw material would be showcased. These exhibitions have not been done for a while now though. The most recent ones include the “grand” coconut and pineapple expositions held last year.
Dr. Ramsammy emphasized particularly on his intention to establish a full-fledged Guyana Shop at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) before the end of 2014.
“We want foreigners or overseas-based Guyanese to come to Guyana and take back our stuff; our pepper sauce and our achar and so on. Doing this would not only boost the local entities producing the items, but it will also sell Guyana as a country,” the Minister pointed out.
More than 60 local agro-processing companies from all across the country have items that are being showcased and sold locally, Dr. Ramsammy asserted. He added that with the massive improvement in the agro-processing industry, there are now more than 100 local producers of preserved foods.
These entities are not all licensed, but only those who have been certified by the Food and Drug Analyst Department can benefit from the services of the Guyana Shop.
Making certification a requirement will see more and more bottom-houses becoming certified, therefore leaving significant room for major exportation possibilities.
Dr. Ramsammy, during a recent interview with this newspaper, said that persons whose products are yet to make an appearance on the shelves of the Guyana Shop, can do so simply by becoming registered with the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC).
“The GMC will work with them so that their products can have an opportunity to become accessible by the Guyanese public. We will help them by ensuring that they overcome the deficits and deficiencies that they face in producing their products,” Dr. Ramsammy said.
To this end, the Agriculture Ministry, in collaboration with the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) and the Guyana Agro Processors Association (GAPA) in March, hosted an Agro Processors forum at the Guyana International Conference Centre.
The forum, accompanied by an exhibition of local products, sought to provide an opportunity for local agro-processors to interact with stakeholders of the industry. These included representatives from the Food and Drugs Department, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards and commercial banks.
According to Dr. Ramsammy, the Guyana Shop’s main location currently has more than 400 different kinds of products on its shelves.
These, he said, include jams, juices, mixed seasonings, pepper and other sauces, achar and a range of nutritious drinks.
Dr. Ramsammy explained that his Ministry is aiming to have Guyana known as a country that produces nutritious, high quality, value added products ideal for export.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Land, taxes and penalties
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News-The American humorist Will Rogers once remarked that the best investment on earth is earth... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
