PREVAILING retail prices as projected by the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) for the period January 11 to 23, 2023, indicate that non-traditional agricultural commodities remain stable at all major markets across the country.

The GMC carried out checks at Kumaka, Anna Regina, Parika, Vreed-en-Hoop, Diamond, Stabroek, Bourda, Mon Repos, and Skeldon municipal markets.

Price checks on the average market price for a bundle of bora saw a drop of almost 32 per cent, while other fresh produce such as cucumber, pak choi, and lettuce were noticeably reduced.
Staple produce such as cassava, eddoes, plantains, potatoes, and yams remain unchanged, or have been reduced significantly at the markets.

The corporation also confirmed that the prices for chicken, beef and mutton were reduced by seven per cent and are readily available countrywide.
Notably, vegetables such as boulanger, cabbage, ochro, and pumpkin have remained under $500 per parcel and/or lb respectively.

Meanwhile, Guyanese can look forward to the continuation of this stable trend as farmers encounter more favourable weather conditions in the coming months, which is expected to incentivise increased production.

In 2022, food production received some G$38 billion which saw an increase in climate-smart agriculture as well as an increase in agro-processing facilities and training.
These innovations will increase the availability and shelf life of local produce, while food production in Guyana will continue to see further investments in 2023 that will improve overall productivity within the sector.

Moreover, food security continues to be a paramount policy initiative for the Government of Guyana, which holds lead responsibility for agriculture, agricultural diversification, and food security in CARICOM – spearheading the regional body’s quest to reduce its food- import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

(DPI)