OVER 1,000 jobs will soon be created through the establishment of an industrial plant, which is earmarked for Enmore, on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

On Monday, a video showing an artist’s impression of the massive investment was posted to the official Facebook page of President Dr. Irfaan Ali.

The animation shows the word ‘Rudisa’ written on the roof of one of the buildings. It was only back in August that the government, via the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest) inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Caribbean International Distributors Inc., a member of the Rudisa Group of Companies, for the development of a landmark agro-processing facility at Enmore.

During the signing of the agreement, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, had said that the facility, once up and running, would accommodate the processing and packaging of a range of products such as pasteurised milk, natural fruit juices and water, as well as a myriad of bread-like products including hamburger buns, cookies, biscuits, croissants, bagels and donuts, etcetera.

“This here will tap into the market both locally and overseas. But locally, we already have markets like the school-feeding programme; you have fruit juices that are normally used there… You have the milk; now that will be pasteurised,” Minister Mustapha told the Guyana Chronicle.

He said, too, that in addition to creating some 1,000 new jobs for the people of Guyana, the project is expected to create a large market for fruit farmers and dairy producers, who, according to the developers, will be the primary suppliers in this venture.

The government’s Department of Public Information (DPI), which was present at the signing of the MoU, quoted the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, as saying: “Rudisa Group of Companies has a longstanding interest in Guyana, and is embarking on a new and critical venture, which will considerably contribute to the President’s vision for an Agriculture-focused Guyana, and which will be focal in the government’s mission to transform Guyana into a large-scale exporter for the Caribbean and beyond.”

At that time, CEO of Caribbean International Distributors Inc., Maurice R. Gajadhar, related his enthusiasm about embarking on this new investment, and adding to the country’s transformation effort.

“We are excited to expand our operations, and to be instrumental in Guyana’s agricultural and industrial development…We want to make sure that our people benefit from this investment, and are eager to add value to the agriculture industry in keeping with our President’s vision for Guyana,” Gajadar said.

The establishment of the new plant will bring Guyana one step closer to realising the government’s plan for a comprehensive food agenda, while ensuring the development of the local farming community.

“We have to move away from the subsistence way we have been doing things,” Minister Mustapha said.

He had said on multiple occasions that Guyana has been working with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to eliminate certain barriers of trade, which will ultimately pave the way for Guyana to become a major food supplier of the region, thereby realising its true potential as the food-basket of the Caribbean.

FOOD IMPORT BILL
When the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) assumed office in August 2020, it had pledged to put immediate focus on tapping into at least 15 per cent of the regional annual food import bill, which ranges between US$5 billion and US$8 billion.

Minister Mustapha had said that Guyana produces much of the items that are being imported by the 15 CARICOM Member States; however, it is important that efforts be made to improve the production and sales of value-added products.

For instance, even though Guyana is a major producer and exporter of coconut, processed products such as coconut cream and bottled coconut water are still being imported.

It is for this and other reasons that the government has begun investing heavily in the development of agro-processing and packaging plants, which would see more value-added products coming out of Guyana.

To this end, the government budgeted in excess of $800 million for the establishment of six high-quality agro-processing facilities across the country.

These facilities are slated to be established particularly in Aranaputa and St. Ignatius in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo); Black Bush Polder in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); and Leguan in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

Minister Mustapha has also committed to ensuring such facilities are replicated in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), and Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

In addition to improving the country’s processing and packaging capabilities, much effort was promised to be placed on ensuring that standards and quality of local products are superior.

To this end, the Ministry of Agriculture will be investing in the purchase of critical equipment for the creation of “mini labs” to test the products being processed and packaged in Guyana.