Export drive key to farmers’ economic survival – Minister Persaud
- Agriculture stakeholders benefit from open day at Parika

Georgetown, GINA, October 21, 2007

The Ministry of Agriculture in an effort to strengthen relationships among farmers, agri-processors, and consumers held a farmers’ open-day and mini-processors’ exhibition today at the Parika market, in Region Three.
The event coincides with the calendar of activities to observe Agriculture Month held under the theme, “The right to food, a reality in Guyana.”
 Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud who attended the event was accompanied by Chairman of Region Three Julius Faerber, Director of the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) Dr. Oudhu Homenauth, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Lionel Wordsworth and General Manager of the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) Nizam Hassan.

The team interacted with farmers, agri-processors and several others during the hive of activities which is common during market days at Parika.
The ultimate objective of the event, Minister Persaud said is to develop a better understanding among farmers as well as to determine how to further expand the market value for products.
He outlined the active role of the new GMC in providing support services for farmers to tap into the export market.
“In September I was in New York and there is a great interest in people linking…at the end of this month I will be in Miami to interact with potential buyers to come in and work with our farmers in this regard,” Minister Persaud added.
He believes that an aggressive export drive is the key to the economic survival of farmers and that the credibility of their products is the solution to achieving success.
The work of processors who have been pioneers for other establishments was also lauded by Minister Persaud. He called for more support for processors adding that it will develop their export potential.
Government has initiated a number of infrastructural projects, some of which are ongoing in Parika, to add the necessary services for stakeholders to tap into the market.

Minister Persaud alluded to the $80M pack house and cold storage facility which is to be completed by year end and will be beneficial to propelling export products from Parika.
The facility will also be complemented by the construction of a wharf which is estimated to cost $100M and will facilitate easy ingress and egress of export produce.
“Those of you who have been to the Parika back lands and some of the other communities such as Leguan and Wakenaam, you will see the enormous infrastructural work which have been done and others which are still ongoing,” Minister Persaud noted.
During agriculture month several activities were held to highlight agricultural development and support for farmers, including a two-day field session on tropical greenhouse technology at Green Farm at Land of Canaan.

more bulletins