Irrespective of the economic odds…Young couple dares to build organic farming business

Jun 04, 2017 News

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In today’s fast-paced world, where many are seeking the glossiest of job titles in the corporate

arena, a young Guyanese couple is daring to plant itself firmly in the arduous but rewarding field of agriculture.
Irrespective of the economic odds, the couple is moving head-on with its goal of building an organic farming business that provides consumers with fresh crops that are well packaged and can be relied upon for their high quality.
In an interview with Kaieteur News last week, Aditya Persaud and his charming wife, Diana, explained how their humble business, Arya’s Fresh Cut, located at Section D, Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara, got started.
Aditya shared, “This business came about after I made a simple joke with my wife. We lived in Diamond after getting married. And, I am sure that you are aware of the traffic situation then – in the period from 2011 to 2014. It was crazy. I worked with the Ministry of Agriculture at the time, and for me to reach to work at 8 am; I could never leave home at 7 or 7:30am.”
The young entrepreneur continued, “I had to leave home at around 6:30am to avoid the traffic. But that caused me to reach to work at around 7:00am. So, I had enough time to eat breakfast and sip on some coffee while enjoying the quiet GT and watching it transform into a hectic city right in front my eyes.”
He added, “My wife used to prepare all her veggies in the evening for the next morning. So, one night I told her, ‘you know, maybe you can start up a business with this thing eh… cut up and pack these veggies like it’s done abroad and have a li’l place where people can stop and pick up.’ I guess we never left the idea or topic to rest.”
The 33-year-old expressed that his wife got serious about the idea one day, and being the industrious agronomist that he is, Aditya wasted no time in doing the needed homework for the project. The research, as well as getting the necessary facilities in place, he said, took about one year.

As for the name selected for the business which started in 2014, the couple explained that there were tons of options, but they eventually settled on “Arya” which is a Sanskrit word meaning Noble. It is also the middle name of their daughter, Shreya.
Speaking to the process involved in the business, Aditya explained that it is one that follows standard operational procedures for similar international business/operations.
He said, “One way in – One way out. Fresh veggies come in from the farm/suppliers then into the first wash area, then a second and third wash and rinse. It is then air dried. Those that need to be processed or cut will be cut after which there is another level of air drying. Then it’s packaged, sealed for freshness and chilled. It’s then transported to the various supermarkets where it’s stored in the chillers.”
While the company has enjoyed much success thus far, there have been a few challenges along the way. In this regard, the couple related that one of the biggest hurdles was to get the right farming practices to meet the required quality, standards and demands. However, over a period of time, they were able to use the necessary supply/demand data and sort this out. Another obstacle the couple cited was available lands for Natural/Organic products.

They also stated that integral to their business is their love for ensuring that customers are always satisfied with their products.
Diana said, “This is what we operate by. Customers come first. One of our rules is if we can’t eat it, then we wouldn’t give it to you. I recalled one customer called us to say he is not too much in favour of parts of the core of the cabbage in the chopped up/pre-cut cabbage. From that moment, we eliminated the core (even though edible) from every pack.”
Supporting his partner’s comments in this regard, Aditya said, “We respect every single customer and we keep our standards that we had from day one. Hence, consistency, convenience and quality are synonymous with Arya’s Fresh Cut.”
He noted, too, that the leading force behind the business is his wife.
“I just deal with the farming aspect and ensure that she gets the quality that she requests. She handles quality control and the rest of it.”
Furthermore, Aditya and his wife are of the firm belief that once you put your mind to something, with hard work and dedication, it is likely to become a reality. They believe that how much one puts into a project is exactly what they will reap. They also shared that success is not something that happens over night. And even though the couple still has a far way to go, they are determined to hold on to their dream.
In fact, they explained that they have plans in the future to expand the business and take their products to other parts of the country. They are also aiming to have a vegetable processing factory and to pursue the export of their unique products.
While Aditya plays a role in the business, he is also managing a steady job at the Guyana Geology

and Mines Commission as an Environmental Officer. He noted, however, that he is only the agronomist for the organic farming venture and does what is needed during his non-office hours. He stated that one doesn’t affect the other.
In his spare time, the father of two says he balances all the above with his other interests, which include a love for music and acting. In this regard, he said, “I am a musician and I would travel around Guyana and abroad at times to perform. I am also an actor, so once there are openings, I would take a shot at it. Other than that, I keep the brain working with ongoing studies.”
For those who may be interested in launching something similar, the couple’s advice is to “be prepared for an adventure.”
They reflected that, “In this business it’s not about the money. It’s a feeling of satisfaction that you enjoy by giving to others something that you are trained to do and be proud of doing it. It is a business involving fresh products; hence, they will have a limited shelf life. You will have losses, but don’t you let that dissuade you.”
Their products can be found at all Bounty Supermarkets, Survival Supermarket locations at Sheriff Street and Vlissengen Road, DSL Supermarkets, Massy Stores Providence, and Rahim/Seeta Store at Mon Repos.

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