THE REGIONAL Democratic Council is currently in discussions about the instituting of a farmers’ market for the Region 10 farmers, especially those of West Watooka, Linden. Regional Chairman Renis Morian made this disclosure at a meeting held earlier this week with staff and councilors of the RDC and the municipality. The talks were mooted after farmers in West Watooka were paid a visit earlier in the day which highlighted their plight. The farmers are losing tremendously as a result of the lack of transportation to have their produce transported to the market and the high level of competition from out-of-town and local vendors who source their produce from Georgetown. The Regional Chairman said that it affected him deeply to see produce ready to be harvested but there was no means to transport same. “It’s a sad sight to see dozens of yellow papaws on the trees and only the birds eating,” he said.
The farmers market, when instituted, will initially be held once a month and based on the output received it will gradually increase. This market will exclusively benefit the farmers of Region 10 thus the name, ‘farmers’ market’ and not market day was given. “We don’t want people leaving their stalls over here and going to take over the market to sell,” said Morian.
To enact this system, lots will be marked out according to names of farmers registered with the Region 10 Farmer’s Association. Municipality Councilor Charles Sampson told the members of the meeting that he was in agreement with the idea of a farmers’ market and suggested that the RDC and the municipality have a bi-monthly meeting so that the farmers can benefit from a more cohesive relationship by the two entities. As it relates to the transportation, Regional Chairman Morian pledged that he would personally make transportation available for the farmers who are in dire need so that farmers could have their produce transported to the market. He is of the opinion that because farmers would be given this assistance and are already being supplied with seeds, they would not sell their produce at a lower price to that of their competitors.
One member of the meeting revealed that the farmers did not know their cost of production, hence they should be taught the techniques of marketing so that the aim should not be to outsell their competitors but to leave the market without any produce.
Currently Region 10 exports over 70% of the food it consume and systems are being put in place to tackle that issue.
The farmers’ market will help to make Region 10 the hub of agriculture.