IN an effort to further boost Guyana’s agro-processing capacity, the Ministry of Agriculture, through the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC), on Friday commissioned $37 million worth of equipment.

While delivering brief remarks at the simple commissioning ceremony held at the GMC’s Central Packaging Facility in Sophia, Georgetown, the agency’s General Manager, Teshawna Lall said the equipment will aid in the GMC’S mandate of promoting the cultivation and export of the country’s non-traditional agricultural crops to regional and extra-regional markets.

Lall said that the agency is committed to supporting its local stakeholders to not only boost their economic income, but to also join in the fight to reduce the CARICOM’s food import bill.
“The Guyana Marketing Corporation remains committed to supporting our stakeholders, in an effort to boost their economic success, while aiming to reduce the import bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025,” Lall said.

Six water tanks, two forklifts, four pallet jacks, five trollies, and one sewing machine for the new Central Fresh Produce Packaging Facility were commissioned to aid in the processing of fresh fruit and vegetables for export.
Additionally, 11 computers with Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), and 16 office desks and chairs were procured to set up offices for the produce packaging facility, extension workstations, and other processing facilities nationwide.

The computers will assist in the timely compilation of collected data into reports, and, ultimately, support the execution of work programmes across the country.
Three laptops will be made available to GMC’s extension staff for remote work, while seven printers will be allocated to processing facilities in Parika, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Timehri, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Fort Wellington, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Watooka, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) to aid in the development of agri-business incubators there.

The GMC has also upgraded the land and shed in the vicinity of the Central Packaging Facility.
In his feature address during the commissioning ceremony, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said that the investment in the agro-processing sector is part of the government’s efforts to enhance the country’s agriculture sector for increased food security, not only here in Guyana but also in the wider Caribbean.

“This shows government’s commitment to agro-processing in our country,” Minister Mustapha said, adding: “Guyana is today attracting attention not only regionally, but globally.
“Many persons would say, ‘Yes, Guyana is attractive, because of oil and gas’, but, today, our agriculture sector in the country is taking the region by storm, and we are moving forward to ensure that we have food security.”

Minister Zulfikar noted that the recently-concluded Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, which was held in May, highlighted the country’s potential, and attracted further investments and collaborations in the sector.
He said that now more than ever, the New GMC has a pivotal role to play in ensuring that local farmers and other stakeholders are provided with the necessary equipment to develop their produce into value-added products.

“The New GMC has a very important role to play, and that is to ensure that our farmers’ produce is developed into value-added products, so that we can export to the region. We recognise the importance of agro-processing,” the Minister said, and that

Guyana will continue to be a leader in pushing food security and agriculture.
In closing, the Agriculture Minister commended the government for what it’s doing to drive agriculture food systems, and the role that Guyana as well as the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali are playing in leading the charge.