–180 bars already produced; packaging underway as they explore market opportunities in Georgetown
A women’s group in Mabaruma, Region One, is supplementing their income by producing locally made chocolate bars.
The group is also targeting the regional market for the export of their products, Chairperson of the Blue Flame Women’s Group, Christina James, said in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle.
They recently expanded their product line following a training programme facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture. Twelve women participated in the programme and were able to produce 180 bars of chocolate with varying recipes, including dark, milk, and fruit-mixed chocolate bars.
James stated, “We have been making cocoa sticks for a number of years and we have also been producing other products such as cassava bread, virgin coconut oil, mixed fruits, ground coffee, and so on. But we wanted to make sweet chocolate.”
The women are currently exploring the use of nuts in their recipes and working with the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) to upgrade their packaging for further exportation.
James mentioned, “Currently, we are only selling it in Mabaruma. We have not brought it out to Georgetown because we are working on the packaging. We are receiving assistance from the GMC, and we will be receiving training on packaging.”
The group was formed in 2005 by 15 wives of cocoa farmers who worked with the Mabaruma Hosororo Organic Cocoa Growers Association. The purpose was to utilise the cocoa beans produced by their husbands.
The recent training program, spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Hinterland Environmental Sustainable Agriculture Development Project (HESAD), has generated renewed interest in the industry. Raymond Latchman, the project coordinator, mentioned that the project is funded by the government of Guyana and the International Fund for Agriculture of the United Nations.
He explained, “The HESAD project was signed in 2017, and we are in the process of implementing it on the ground. The project supports communities in regions one and nine for their development in the public space.”
The project targets various community groups and cooperatives in regions one and nine that may require funding for community-based development projects.
Latchman added, “The women’s group has been in existence for quite some time, and they have been producing cassava bread and cocoa sticks. They have been in the market for some time, so they were looking to diversify their product line. We provided funding for them to improve their operations, and we also funded the training for them to be able to make chocolates.”
Nigel Fisher, Chairman of the Mabaruma Premier Cocoa Growers, expressed his belief that with the renewed interest being shown, cocoa production can be further expanded within the region.
He stated, “I expect cocoa to expand because it is the main crop in the Mabaruma sub-region. We have good varieties and planting material here, and we have an excellent climate for cocoa cultivation.”
However, the challenge is that most cocoa farmers work only on a part-time basis.
Fisher mentioned, “Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture, through the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), confirmed that there is no cadmium in the soil. So, we have everything going for us here. There is an unlimited market for cocoa beans both locally and internationally, and what we have here is considered fine flavor. Farmers here need incentives because most members in our group are not full-time farmers.”
Fisher believes that with the development of a strategic plan, cocoa production in the region can increase significantly. The Mabaruma Premier Cocoa Growers was first established in the 1950s and had previously exported products to the United Kingdom (UK).
