OVER the last two years, the Ministry of Agriculture has been introducing several new crops which have economic potential and could provide employment.  The National Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) would do the necessary research and ascertain their feasibility. Afterwards, such crops would be made available to enterprising farmers who would form their own companies.  Such companies would first satisfy the domestic market and later move into export, provide a good income and hopefully keep more young persons in Agriculture.

Corn, soya, tropical wheat, millet, hemp, and various spices are among the new crops being introduced and developed.  One of the most imaginative crops is the production of Roses of various shapes and colours. This Rose Project is the innovation of President Dr Irfaan Ali, who aims to provide more employment for single parents and is linked with the One Guyana Initiative.

Though the Promenade Gardens had long been producing flowers for the local market and making wreaths, their activity was intended to provide a service rather than to create a profit-making industry.  The late Boyo Ramsaroop was the first person to establish a flower industry to cater to the local market but with a greater focus on exports to florists in Europe and North America.  He also ventured into growing certain rare fruit such as Rambutan from Indonesia and Malaysia and Liechi, a Chinese speciality.  Both of these fruits were sweet and are used in high-end desserts.

Mr Ramsaroop’s farm was on a 10-acre plot in the Sophia area and became profitable with possibilities of indefinite expansion.  At this point, unfortunately,  he died, and the woman, whom he married while he was a very young electrical engineering student in Germany, and who assisted him in the farm, returned to Germany. His son went into politics for a short time before emigrating.  There was no one to run the farm, and it was abandoned.

The Rose Project, executed under NAREI’s auspices, imported approximately 3000 rose slips from Brazil and these were planted in shade houses with 600 in each house.  Four hundred roses of various colours were reaped each week towards the end of last year and this number will keep on increasing.  By the end of 2023, it is estimated that rose imports would decline by more than 30 percent.  So far, vendors have been buying from NAREI to resell, but a few farmers have also started their independent farms.

Now that the flower Industry has been resuscitated, the Rose Unit needs to be expanded to include orchids and other flowers.  Orchids, in particular, are always in demand by the florists of the developed world and Guyana is in an advantageous position to dominate this market since the vast pristine forest cover of the country is home to a large variety of orchids.  Two of the most popular cultivated in Georgetown are the Lanciana, known as “the Christmas Orchid” and the Golden Showers.  Others, like lilacs, need to be brought into the repertoire of the Ministry’s Flower Unit.

Both the Ministries of Agriculture and Business are in contact with many youth, some of whom may be inducted into the Flower Industry by proffering technical help, land space, planting material, seed money for start-ups and locating of markets.  Such governmental assistance, needless to say, would not be restricted to the youth but would be available to all persons.

In all of this effort to build a flower industry, common Guyanese flowers should not be neglected and these would include the local roses, especially the perfumed red and white, though not as long-lasting as the foreign varieties, have a peculiar beauty and Guyanese living abroad nostalgically remember them.  Likewise would be the various varieties of hibiscus, Queen of Flowers and Oleanders.

Linked with the industry is the encouragement of citizens to once again rekindle the enthusiasm to have home gardens. This culture was extinguished by the regular floods, which destroyed gardens.  And secondly, the cosmetic industry has always had strong linkages with the flower industry.

Though there is no cosmetic industry in Guyana at the moment, Pepperpot has featured several young persons who have been trying to venture into this industry, and the Ministry of Business should succour these. It should be remembered that great cosmetic houses like Helena Rubinstein and Coco Chanel began in the same way in very humble circumstances.