Heightened focus on boosting export capabilities

Georgetown, GINA, February 05, 2008.

More focus is being placed on enhancing export capabilities to ensure that farmers, producers, agro-processors, exporters and others are better positioned to realise the opportunities that exist for agricultural products in the Caribbean and further afield.
            In this regard, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation in Agriculture (IICA) have organised a three-day workshop, which opened today at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
The activity targets more than 100 participants with representatives from agencies within the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana Manufacturers and Service Association and the Linden Economic Advancement Programme.
Other participants are from various private sector entities such as Sterling Products, DIDCO Trading Company, Tandy’s Manufacturing and Ricks and Sari Agro Industries.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, while addressing the opening ceremony today, noted the activity’s importance in helping the agricultural sector to take on a more agri-business format with heightened focus on the export thrust.
He pointed out that Guyana has attained food security level and although, food is being exported, there is need to intensify such activities to ensure continued economic and social growth.
It was noted that the domestic market cannot support sustenance of agricultural and other industries and the need for production and manufacturing to be more export-driven was highlighted.
Participants were urged to focus in this direction to meet the Caribbean’s increasing food demand. It was noted that many of these States are looking to Guyana to meet their food needs and this creates an excellent opportunity especially since there is arable land, water and human capabilities to take up the challenge.
Reference was made to Government’s efforts to support stakeholders in this process through which more initiatives are underway. During this year, two major projects will come on stream with focus on agricultural diversification and export development and on enhancing the capability of farmers and rural producers.
In addition, the modern $89M storage and packaging centre at Parika, upgrading of the main pack-house at Sophia and establishment of similar facilities at Charity and Number 43 Village, Corentyne, are other activities that are aimed at boosting exports.
The workshop is designed to equip participants with technical skills and abilities relating to the legal requirements for exporting food products to the United States market. It will also provide an overview of several US federal agencies which are responsible for the enforcement of those requirements and will examine the current trends, opportunities and challenges in the US market for agricultural fresh and processed products.
Others who addressed the opening of the workshop were IICA’s Resident Representative Ignatius Jean and General Manager of the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) Nizam Hassan.

more bulletins