FACING the challenges that came with farming, such as not having enough market, a couple, Oscar Richmond and Michellina Richmond ventured into agro-processing, initially as a means of reducing spoilage.

The couple, in 2016, opened their business, Green Diamond Foods, which now supplies local and foreign supermarkets with teas and other products.

During an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, 39-year-old Oscar related that the decision to seek out another form of income, began because their crops were not making it on the market and the market value was not satisfactory for them.

Faced with the dilemma of having lush fields but limited markets, the couple decided that it was time to look at a venture that would reduce their loss of income.

Oscar said his wife joined an agro-processing training programme at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), which soon helped them to begin manufacturing the products that they produce so well today.

“My wife was taking part in the agro-processing training at the GSA, where she got training in packaging and so on…that basically helped us to start packaging and manufacturing on the farm,” he said.

Oscar related that they began to produce plantain flour at first because they had this abundantly with no market.

“So, we start basically grinding the plantain with hand mills because it didn’t have any motorised mill at that time,” he said.

From this, they went on to produce carambola fruit mix, lemon grass tea, capadulla tea, and ginger tea as well as cassava cassareep and cassava biscuit.
Oscar said that he is proud of himself and his wife, as they have achieved a lot since they began agro-processing.

He related that other businesses in Guyana are benefitting from his business as well, because they source some things from them, such as eddoes from Linden.
“People from far are benefitting from what I have started, so I feel very happy and proud to know that I am contributing and helping a lot,” Oscar said.

Additionally, he related that the government supports their work and works with them to address drainage issues, among other things.

Despite the challenge of marketing their products because of the many players in the field, he said that their products are some of the cheapest and have the best quality.
Currently, Green Diamond Food employs persons part-time, but as they expand shortly, they expect to hire persons to work full-time.

On a mission to expand internationally, some of their products are currently being sold in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and St. Martin.

There are more products on the cards for manufacturing but for now, they intend to continue with their current products and seek out a wider market.