These Digicel subscribers test the AMIS (Adrian Narine photo)

Almost instantaneously, the wholesale and retail prices at Bourda and Stabroek Markets, along with the price for the item in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, will show up.

Hassan also demonstrated the system can be used to access information on the weather, but this is only available to Digicel cell phone holders.

The service costs only $5 but GMC is pushing to have this figure, as well as the cost of the cheaper hand sets, lowered.

He pointed out that the information displayed on the phone is just a guide to the prices in the markets, noting that there will be some price differences as government has no control over this.

He explained that the marketing information system is an important tool in scaling-up agro-industrialisation and today this scheme has been significantly improved with the availability of the internet.

Guyana, he said, is not a pioneer of the newly launched technology, as other countries have developed and are using similar services.

GMC will soon kick start public awareness campaigns to educate consumers on the use of the service.

Hassan stressed too that, apart from the AMIS, information on production and marketing will be available on the GMC website, database and SMS service.

Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud lauded the Digicel/GMC partnership in devising AMIS, and stressed that the application of information technology and cellular service has played a pivotal role in generating growth and development in several Latin America and Asian countries.

Persaud said Guyana is learning from lessons of these innovations as it looks to accelerate and advance development, not only in the agriculture sector, but in the country as a whole.

He underscored that the ready availability of information will greatly assist farmers and exporters both local and overseas in making critical decisions in price negotiations.

The minister noted too that the innovation ties into a similar initiative in the Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Strategy, and will significantly aid farmers under the Agriculture Diversification Project and the Rural Enterprise Agricultural Development (READ) programme.

Persaud disclosed, as an off-shoot to the newly launched project, the Ministry of Agriculture, through GMC, will establish six business centres at strategic locations in the country to serve transactions and information purposes.

On that note, he announced his ministry has purchased some 150 cell phones for hinterland farmers and challenged Digicel to match his efforts in improving the dissemination of marketing information to hinterland farmers.

Digicel Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Gregory Deen said his company is pleased to be part of the undertaking, and indicated his support in the public education exercises.

He declared that Digicel is delighted to bring a new service to farmers and ultimately, a new service on the market.

The launch was attended by farmers, exporters, agro-processors, and senior officials from GMC, the private sector and Digicel.