Farm-fresh produce sold out in record time

EAST Coast Demerara residents flocked the Lusignan Market on Sunday to take advantage of the farm-fresh produce being sold at affordable prices, as the Ministry of Agriculture hosted yet another farmers’ market.

Deputy General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board, Kuldip Ragnauth explained to the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the farmers’ markets are planned for the entire month of October as part of Agriculture Month activities.

“The purpose is to give local producers an opportunity to come and sell their products directly into the market. Some producers, some farmers would normally sell to wholesalers, hucksters, and then the hucksters bring it to the market and resell. In this case, the producers and the farmers, they are getting the opportunity to come and sell their products on the market. The other objective is to allow the consumers to get the commodities, the products at a lower price,” he stated.

He explained that the Market was scheduled to begin at 06:00 hours, however, patrons were present to make their purchases as early as 05:00 hours.
“It didn’t take ten minutes for all the milk to be sold. Now, you see the chicken from New GMC is being sold from the trucks. The eggs are also selling… We have GLDA selling the meat… So, the sale has been excellent,” Ragnauth stated.

Also speaking with DPI was Selwin Anthony of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), who noted that the reasonable prices have attracted interest from a number of customers.
“We are selling mutton at $1,200 per pound; they are in two-pound parcels. Then we have the beef which is going for $500 a pound; we have them in five-pound packets. We have the pork at $500 per pound; so we have prepacked them in five-pound packages. So, the prices are fairly good,” Anthony noted.
Abigail John, a vendor of Buxton, was excited to be part of the activity.

“This is my second year at farmers’ market, and I was so anxious to be here. Last week I was at Albion, and this week, as you can see, I’m here at Lusignan. I touched down here at 04:20; my first sale was at 05:20, so I’m enjoying myself right now,” she told DPI.

“The people are enjoying coming and getting things reasonable, because we know the cost of living right now is very high, and government is just trying to help out the situation with people. I glad if they could go to various markets around the country,” said Randy Abrams, who visited the market to take advantage of the reduced prices.

“Today is the first time I actually coming to the market; I got the flyer sent to my phone and I said, you know what, go check it out. So, today is the first time I actually coming to it. So far, the prices are much more affordable. I like it,” said Strifeana Abrams, another consumer.
Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Gillian Smith was also at the farmers’ market.

“I’m really happy to be here this morning; I have bought myself some fresh food, and I think it’s really nice to see the excitement with the framers and people who are buying as well, and of course we are always putting our plug as the FAO, buy local,” she told DPI.
Several more farmers’ markets are planned for the coming weeks in different parts of the country. (DPI)