Guyana Shop, a hub for local agro-processed products
Another section of the Guyana Shop displaying an assortment of items
Another section of the Guyana Shop displaying an assortment of items

WELL over 700 locally produced agricultural produce are now available on the shelves of the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), which is the marketing arm of the Ministry of Agriculture. This agency provides the necessary space for local agro-processors to develop, to stock and also to market their products to the Guyanese public, as well as to the diaspora in a way that no other business or agency provides.

The GMC, now branded as the Guyana Shop, recently celebrated six years of being reopened. GMC, as a supermarket, has been in existence for over 30 years. During that period, it sold fresh fruits, vegetables and a variety of meats in addition to small-scale agro-processed items.

B&S pasteurised cane juice that was made by Samuel Blackman

After the supermarket reopened its doors as the Guyana Shop, the decision was taken to place emphasis on mainly marketing local agro-processed items. As a matter of fact, the number of products in the supermarket, after it reopened its doors, has grown tremendously.

“We have come a very long way where agro-processing is concerned, since the opening of the Guyana Shop in 2012,” said Kevin Macklingam, Guyana Shop Manager. He added that there were only 600 products on the shelves when the shop reopened its doors to the public. But, to the credit of the diligent staff, who has been working assiduously to attract new agro-processors to the supermarket, the list of products, (when broken down by size and types) on the shelves has now grown to 1476 and continues to grow each year.

For this year, the GMC has so far been able to get on board three new agro-processors, along with 18 new products.

Macklingam added that not only has the items increased, but the number of agro-processors has also increased. “The number of Agro-processors has already increased by 100 percent and the presentation of their products has changed rapidly,” contending that there have also been significant improvements in the quality and overall presentation of the locally produced items.

Guyana Shop family
Rodiekah DeFreitas, who joined the Guyana Shop family with her line of Diekah ‘spices’ recently, is beginning to reap the benefits.

Diana Dodson, Crop Extension Officer at the Guyana Marketing Corporation, displaying some coconut end-products

“My products, since being placed in the Guyana Shop, are beginning to move… With the different activities that I have been a part of, I must say that they have opened doors for me to better market my products, especially the recently held Farmers’ Market Day, where I was able to make meaningful linkages,” she happily explained.

DeFreitas, through the Guyana Shop, was also introduced to other leading supermarkets in Guyana. She noted that because of GMC’s assistance she will soon be supplying the Bounty supermarket with her Diekah’s Spices.

Meanwhile, Aubrey John, owner of GT fruit wine, who recently returned to Guyana and introduced his products to the Guyana Shop, said he is enthusiastic about being part of the “family”.

“I know from experience when I want something local I would go to the Guyana Shop to get it. Because of this, I know it would be the same thing for other persons who live overseas and would want to purchase local products,” John said, as he awaits the “unlimited exposure” his product would receive.

Overabundance of opportunities
In addition to marketing local-agro processed products in the Guyana Shop for the year 2018, there have been a plethora of marketing opportunities for agro-processors, many of which have led to meaningful linkages with farmers, exporters, local supermarket owners and persons who are interested in purchasing agro-processed items.

A variety of locally produced items that can be found in the Guyana Shop

Some of these invaluable opportunities for the year were the Porridge Sampling sessions that were held at three Post Offices in Region Four; the Agro-processors’ Exhibitions, which took place in Regions Four and Six. There was also the Emancipation Exhilaration that took place at Stabroek Square. Apart from these marketing opportunities, staff from the GMC, when invited to other exhibitions regionally or extra-regionally, would use the opportunity to promote local products available in the Guyana Shop.

The products in the Guyana Shop are not only available in Region Four, where the greatest concentration of products comes from, but has also been instrumental in securing spaces for agro-processed products in local supermarkets in seven of the ten administrative regions in Guyana.

Some of the items available in the Guyana Shop are jams, jellies, sauces, seasonings, several types of flours, porridge mixes, coconut oils, soaps, honey, crabwood oils, coconut cream, teas, and a variety of wines, among other items.

Collaborative efforts
Ida Sealey-Adams, General Manager of GMC, said that she was very grateful for the collaboration that has been forged with the agro-processors over the years. She added that she was looking forward to the continued support, even as the corporation intensifies its effort to promote local products.

She stated that it was through the corporation’s public/private partnerships with supermarkets and other retail shop owners, they have benefitted from the allocation of spaces to market their locally processed products.

Future plans
“It is envisaged that this ongoing relationship will result in Guyana Shop corners in all 10 administrative regions. Further, plans are in place to establish at least one Guyana Shop corner regionally and extra-regionally in the not too distant future. In this regard, during this year (2019) the Corporation will undertake missions overseas to pursue this venture,” Sealey-Adams said as she elaborated on the future plans for the Guyana Shop. She added that she was very thankful for the supermarket owners who continue to support the Guyana Shop and agro-processors.

She stated that she was also encouraging persons, locally and internationally to get on board and partner with the GMC to support local agro-processors. Adding, “Individuals and businesses locally, within the Diaspora, regionally and internationally who are interested in partnering with us, can contact us at the GMC for any information they may need.”

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