AS the Linden River Front Festival gets underway, Linden’s agro-processors, manufactures, farmers and entrepreneurs brought their stocks out at the Plant and Market Day event held on the western shore of the Demerara River.

Some of Linden’s top notch agro-processors such as Pleasurable flavours, Ceasars LOGI Enterprise and Wilson’s Enterprise were among the local producers who exhibited their products at the event.
Seedling producers Oliver and Cleveland Tappin were also present with a wide array of plants, seedlings and agricultural produce.

The exhibitors described the support as fair, but continued to call on Lindeners to support their own. Dianna Plowell of Pleasurable Flavours, used the opportunity to showcase her newly packaged confectionary products: tamarind ball, chicken foot and plantain chip. These were exhibited in addition to her pepper sauces, relish, green seasoning and other culinary products.

Plowell said as a local producer, she continues to face difficulties in having her products sold in the local supermarkets. The reason given by supermarket owners she said, is that there are too many local products circulating to be accommodated. Plowell however, believes that her products are export standard and will continue to use events like these to showcase what she has worked over the years to perfect.

Ceasars LOGI is one of Linden’s oldest manufactures, specialising in various spices and porridge products. The manufacturers however, used the River Front Festival Plant and Market Day to showcase their new products. The maubi and capadulla concentrate were well supported on Saturday.

Local producer Onika Skeete said the plant and market day is a good opportunity to showcase what Lindeners have been manufacturing but believes that more can be done, if the support is greater.

“When there are events as these, we need people to come out and support and we are not getting that big crowd, we need persons to come out and support their own.”
Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira encouraged the local producers not to give up while purchasing a variety of locally made items.

“I am here today because I believe that we as a people need to support what we have and be proud of what we have and in order for us to rise, it has to be a community effort, we have to purchase what is made right in Linden,” Figueira posited in an invited comment.

Coordinator of the Linden River Front Festival in an interview with this newspaper said that the aim of the Plant and Market Day is to give local entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase and market their products.

The Linden River Front Festival commenced on Friday and will conclude on Monday with a signature regatta and family fun day. Other sporting, recreational and entertainment activities are slated for Saturday and Sunday. The aim of the Linden River Front Festival is to advertise the Linden River Front’s potential as a tourism hub.