By Jared Liddell

HERBS have long been used for maintaining a healthy lifestyle in Guyanese households, with persons taking them as immune boosters and cures for various ailments such as the common cold or flu. Since the advent of the COVID -19 epidemic in Guyana, many persons have been moving in the direction of herbal remedies as a means of building their immune systems and preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

The Guyana Chronicle spoke with several vendors who are in the business of selling ‘Bush’ to gather what their experiences have beenmm throughout this season. Many of them stated that there has been, an increase in the sale of some produce, but there not an overall increase in sales.

Debra Payne, who has been in the business for over 30 years, said that business has been a bit slower since the COVID -19 lockdown, since people have not been coming out as they usually would. Further, she stated that although the business is generally slow, there has been a surge in the demand for certain herbs which have been recommended as immune boosters to help the body fight the coronavirus.

“The amount of sales that we made then we are not really making it now; the only thing that selling a lot is the lemon grass and the dandelion. The customers are coming, but not on that regular basis as they would as before,” stated Payne.

Another vendor, Khaimisi Jawanza, stated that he has noticed that since the advent of the COVID-19 epidemic, sales have increased for certain herbs and as such, he had taken the opportunity to purchase those herbs in larger quantities to meet the demand of his customers.

Jawanza said, “Well now we noticed that a lot of people coming for the lemon grass, and we noticed that we still getting our regular customers, but most of the people coming for just lemon grass. Just the other day I bought a bag of lemon grass from Linden and brought it here at one o’clock and by time two o’clock all gone.”

He stated that although his lemon grass is selling, his other herbs that he pays for are still there and were it not for his regular customers, it would have been extremely difficult to get the items off his hands.

This paper also spoke to a third vendor, Manasseh Primo, who stated that he has had similar experiences as the other vendors, as it relates to the position he is in as a business person. He also stated that due to people not being able to work and earn their livelihoods,

he had taken it upon himself to sell most of his herbs at a reduced cost.
The market continues to operate within the restrictions of the lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus with a shorter day, but most of the vendors stated that this has not affected their business in a big way.