– continue to seek gov’t support

By Tajeram Mohabir
SCORES of agro-processors throughout Guyana Saturday converged on Main Street in Georgetown to showcase their produce as the Ministry of Agriculture steps up its campaign to promote value-added products.The one-day street fair, themed: “Exploring our strengths; advancing agriculture and social protection,” was organised by the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (NGMC), and is part of activities

to celebrate Agriculture Month 2015.
The agro-processors used the opportunity to display their attractively packaged products, with many pitching tent as early as 08:00 hrs.
The Main Street promenade from Guyana Stores to Courts was transformed from being a relatively quiet area to a busy zone.
It was permeated with the pleasant and titillating aroma of different foods and beverages.
New GMC marketing representative Ida Sealey-Adams told the Guyana Chronicle that the street fair, the second of its kind, aims to give agro-processors an opportunity to market what they produce.
The New GMC has a mandate to promote locally manufactured produce, including value-added products, both locally and overseas.
Sealey-Adams said the fair is in keeping with the agency’s mandate, and related that, encouragingly, more Guyanese over the years have been supporting locally-produced agriculture products.
From the look of goods in the tents, smart packaging might have contributed to locals developing a greater appreciation of what is produced in their homeland.
The products were attractively labelled, they were clean and the presentation at the different tents was eye-catching.
According to the New GMC representative, the labelling of the products meets the standards of a First-World country.
The New GMC provides technical assistance to local agro-processors, and this ranges from hosting management and best- practices training programmes to linking producers with potential buyers here and abroad.
Sealey-Adams told this publication that the New GMC only links the agro-processor with a potential buyer; it does not get involved in the business between the two.

Exhibitions
The agricultural marketing agency also regularly attends exhibitions in the Region, North America and Europe, and local producers are invited to attend.
New GMC representatives usually take samples of the products of producers who cannot attend, and share their information with interested buyers.
The New GMC Guyana Shop also serves as a launching pad for small agro-processors who cannot afford to launch their products.
During a walk- through of the fair, the Guyana Chronicle was impressed by products of the many booths, including Alpha Manufacturing Inc.
The small business produces packaged snacks, pepper sauce and seasoning, and is managed by five women from Region 3.
One of the owners Marva Hestick, told this newspaper that the business has been doing reasonably well, and the group wants to expand operations, but will need some support.
She said it would be encouraging if the New GMC could sponsor labels (about 1000) and the government grants concessions to small producers who bottle their produce. The prices for bottles, Hestick said, are high for small operators.
Weiting and Richter, an ice house and water plant on 10-13 Water Street, Georgetown, was also present at the exhibition.
The company buys the materials from Trinidad and Tobago and manufactures plastic bottles at its Water Street plant. It also manufactures plastic bottles for other companies.
Weiting and Richter has been doing well, and so, too. has Inava.
Inava, a company in South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, which began operations last year, told the Guyana Chronicle that it is looking to expand operations.
The company makes lemonade and has already been exporting its products – Lemonade Guava, Lemonade Strawberry, Original Lemonade and Lemonade Soursop – to Suriname, St Vincent, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.
The other locally produced products on display were many. They ranged from bottled water, pepper sauce, coconut oil, honey, seasoning and preserved carambola fruits to ground acha, massala, cassava bread, plantain chis, ground spices and coffee and honey soap.