AGRO-PROCESSED foods from the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) have been receiving a positive response from consumers on the local market. 

Speaking at the Agro-Processors Fair on Sunday last, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said that more agro-processing courses will be added to the GSA curriculum.
This massive response from consumers has caused the GSA to decide recently to begin marketing more products to give the Guyanese public a taste of their own local produce.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Manager of the Agro-Processing Facility at the GSA, Grace Paris, noted that they have been producing agro-processed foods for a long time, but it was being distributed to the school’s cafeteria.
She added that after constant meetings with the executives of the school, they finally decided to experiment by marketing the products at GuyExpo 2014, and received a massive response from consumers.

Paris said GSA intends to use local raw materials and to be more creative so that there can be no limit to what they produce.

PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET

Some of the products which have so far been marketed include Porridge Mix, All Purpose Sauce, Mixed Fruits, Preserved Carambola, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Green Seasoning, and Cassava Crisps.

Paris said GSA, through this venture, hopes to promote more of Guyana’s products on the local market and later to tap international markets.
She added that by promoting the Guyanese products, they will assist in developing the country’s economy.
The Agro-Processing Department at GSA teaches students to add value to local materials, and students are given projects to create new foods, generating ideas for making new value-added products.

(Navendra Seoraj)