THE grouping, Guyana Agro-Processors Association was officially inaugurated Wednesday, in the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce boardroom on South Road, Georgetown.

The organisation groups various stakeholders in the agriculture sub-sector and is headed by the President, Mr. Suresh Paryag of Surya Delight.

Other executives are Vice President, Mr. Ted Sabat of Rainbow River Safari; General Secretary, Mr. Rodwell Denny of Tandy’s Manufacturing Enterprise; Treasurer, Mr. Rabindranauth Rajkumar of Honey Works Establishment and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, Mr. Dennis Mayers of Norton Foods.

Committee members are Mr. Michel Jupiter of Juice Power; Mr. Lloyd Angus of Trafalgar/Union Community Development Council (CDC); Ms. Sandra Baldeo of Bath Settlement Women’s CDC; Ms. Bibi Farina Issardeen of Lisa’s Preserve Carambola and Mr. Raymond Trotz of Phoenix Enterprises Guyana.

Addressing them at their inaugural meeting with him, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad said it was an historic occasion because it is the first of such organisation dealing primarily with agro-processing.

Observing that most of the members are small and medium enterprises, he commended it as a step in the right direction.

“The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, with other agencies and through the Small Business Section, has been in the forefront of coordinating with the stakeholders to get this going,” he disclosed.

Prashad said a steering committee was set up to guide the process to this stage and assured that his ministry will continue to work with the association to develop the industry.

He said it is very important that they formed themselves into an association because they can negotiate more effectively and people will listen to them.

Prashad insisted that one of the main areas of focus for them is packaging, labelling and pricing of products.

“I think we are not so bad at pricing but there is no organised method or methodology of how we price our products,” he pointed out, warning that: “Sometimes, we can price ourselves out of the market.”

Prashad advised them to capitalise on products which are seasonal and gear themselves on the fluctuation activity.

He said, importantly, Guyana is a major player in the agriculture sector in the Caribbean and the only net exporter of food in the entire region and agro-processing is a major part of what this country should be doing.

With the formation of this association, they can approach agencies for support to develop various projects, Prashad remarked.

POLICY
Alluding to policy, he said: “Under the National Competitiveness Strategy (NCS) we have a component of small business. We are setting up a Small Business Secretariat and a Small Business Council and a Matching Grants Initiative which will be formally launched to help you develop your business,” he stated.

“When you can do agro-processing and export into countries like the United States, it means that you are doing something very good,” Prashad noted.

He said: “We have high quality products in Guyana but we are not processing them and we are not adding value to these products so this association should do that – one of your mandates is to do that.”

Observing that consumers today are very alert, Prashad said: “You have to attract them. You have to price and package and label your products. We have to start to adapt that attitude here in Guyana.”

He said the association can work closely in collaboration with his ministry, the Ministry of Agriculture and New Guyana Marketing Corporation and other agencies to develop a high standard of agro-processing.

“Our ministry is very much involved because it is small business and we are responsible for consumers affairs also,” Prashad explained.

His advice was: “We must, first of all, satisfy the local conditions out there with quality and affordable products and products which presentation can match with any from the Caribbean and North America and further afield.”

He cited, as an example, Topco taking over the market for cherries.

“All the cherries that are produced are sold to Topco and they make all those fruit drinks. They price and package at a high standard and they are easily sold. That is a success story.”

Prashad challenged the processors to gear themselves to compete on the international market that is coming into Guyana, which has a lot of products to offer but is not exporting enough.

He recognised that some companies have improved significantly over the years but said more needs to be done.

“As a body, the important thing in an organisation is that you must be fair and you must look to the interest of the organisation not self-interest.

“You must prioritise what you have good for the export market and try to develop that one at a time.

“The longest journey begins with a single step and this is a good step in the right direction, so I know you will be very successful,” Prashad told them.

He acknowledged that Guyana needs value added to its products, not to just export the raw material which people buy cheap, process and export back here.

“We have to learn to develop our products right here in Guyana, at a very high standard for the export market,” he emphasised.