ALL services provided by the newly created National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO), a department within the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), are free of cost.In a statement on Monday, NAREI said the NPPO consists of the Plant Quarantine and Plant Protection units, and was established under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures with the objective of facilitating and increasing Guyana’s competitiveness for trade on the world market, and at the same time protecting its agriculture sector from the introduction and spread of exotic plant pests and diseases.

Services provided by the department include: The inspection of agricultural commodities for import and export; registration of importers and exporters of fertiliser; issuance of phytosanitary certificates; granting of import permits for agricultural commodities; conducting of Pest Risk Analysis; conducting surveys and surveillance for pests and diseases; and conducting of farm, nursery and facility certification (bonds, warehouses, kilns).

NAREI said officers are not authorised to uplift or collect monies/payments on behalf of the NPPO, not on its behalf for the services provided.