AGRICULTURE Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has indicated that in a few months the Guyana Shop will not be accepting or promoting any product that is not certified by the Food and Drug Analyst (FDA) Department.

He made this disclosure yesterday during a seminar for agro processors at the Ministry’s Regent Road Boardroom.
“Guyana is about to introduce a Food Safety Bill. I hope by the end of June that, policy wise, we will not permit you to put in the supermarkets your product unless it has the first step of registration for FDA certification,” he advised the gathering.
Ramsammy added that the ministry will be working with the Guyana Agro Processors Association and he is urging every agro-processor in Guyana, whether small or large, to join the association.
“The ministry will work with them to ensure that we facilitate growth of agro processing and value added in Guyana. We will provide technical support through the association and directly to agro processors,” he stated.
Though he mentioned that the ministry will aid by developing export facilities and providing technical support, he stressed that hard work and investment still have to be made by agro processors.
In addition, the minister related that the ministry will also work with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the Inter-American Institue for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), its regional and international partners who have openly offered to provide support to Guyana for such ventures.
He added that this support will be used to help in every step of the process, such as preparation of products, in the actual agro processing facility, in labelling, storage and marketing, both locally and internationally.
Ramsammy further stated that the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (NGMC) will also work with agro processors to ensure their objectives are fulfilled.
He noted that he is offering the Guyana Agro Processors Association a representative from the New GMC as an observer within their executive body to offer advice and support.
Moreover, the minister requested that the executives of the Guyana Agro Processors Association meet with the Agriculture Ministry once every three months to discuss pertinent issues.
“If the association will address the interest of agro processors across Guyana, all of them, then it has to be democratic and transparent. And therefore we would want to monitor those processes. That is not being intrusive, it is being helpful,” he stressed.
He further emphasised that Guyana is moving forward as a food-secure nation, noting that products such as rice, sugar and coconut now have more value added products.
He said that these industries have been diversifying through initiatives such as the grow more campaign, but highlighted that farmers will never realise the full benefits of their hard work if all they do is grow and sell the raw products.
However, he acknowledged that there is a demand for fresh produce and hence there needs to be a balance of fresh and processed products for export purposes.
The minister pointed out that the Ministry of Agriculture has been facilitating the fresh produce through the establishment of packing plants at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, and at Sophia, Greater Georgetown. In addition, he said that the ministry has procured refrigerated trucks to bring the products closer to markets and it is also establishing a refrigerated centre at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, to facilitate export of fresh produce.
He noted, though: “We also have to take advantage of the processed product market that is growing today. There is an exponential growth in the agro-process industry around the world. Guyana is well suited to become a major player in the region when it comes to value-added agro processed products.”
He emphasised that Guyana is in such a position not only because the market exists, but also because entrepreneurs within the country dared to start, some in very modest ways.
Ramsammy recalled the days when people bottled their products using the empty bottles of other products and using pen and paper, glued a label on to these bottles.
“That was the beginning of an industry. People may have laughed at those pioneers; and those same pioneers, if you visit them today, you see international quality labelling being done,” he said.
While he noted that Guyana’s products can compete with any other in the world, he said it is important for agro-processors to note that they have not reached the destination, but rather there is still a long distance to go.
Ramsammy pointed out that in 2010, more than 2,000 tonnes of agro- processed products were exported and that annual figure has since been maintained.
However, he said that he is now mandating the New GMC to work with agro- processors, so that in 2013, a new milestone of 3,000 tonnes can be achieved. Though he noted that this is still a small amount, he stated that a 50 percent increase is an ambitious goal.
The minister further declared that the Government of Guyana, and particularly he and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will fight for fair and equitable treatment of Guyana’s products. Nevertheless, he related that for them to fight for equal rights for local products, they would have to acquire large volumes and at a certain quality.
He revealed plans to elevate the inspection exercise of agro-processing facilities, noting that sometime this year; they will advise the Food and Drug Analyst Department to rigidly implement the rules.
He explained that with time, the standard changes, so new persons would have to begin at the new standards or otherwise, not be certified.
He highlighted the need for local products to reach a certain standard so as to satisfy local markets, while noting that the ultimate goal is to reach the Caribbean, North American and European markets.