WITH determination and a good support system from her family as a single parent of two children, Radhika Basdeo felt like establishing her own small business was the right way to go since being unemployed wasn’t an option for her.

In March 2021, Basdeo was fully motivated by her father, a farmer who works at Guynaz at Bourda Market as a supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables, to step up to the challenge of establishing her own small business as an agro-processor.

At that time, Basdeo was working with her parents. They had a snackette at Stabroek Market, and she felt she was made for more; to venture out on her own in business.

After they sold the snackette in 2000, it was time for Basdeo to make her mark as an agro-processor. She was making peppersauce and mango achar, retailing it at Guynaz and a few other places. During the pandemic, her father’s farm had an abundance of mangoes going to waste, and he encouraged her to utilise it to make some achar to sell.

Basdeo consulted with her elders, who gave her the (secret) family recipe for the mango achar. She followed it step-by-step until it was just right, and she began her small business. She recalled making two-gallon buckets of mango achar and using plastic bottles to market the product, which was sold in small quantities.

Basdeo was advised to approach the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) to have a proper label, a better package, get licensed, market her products, and be trained.

It was the best thing she did for her business, which took off from there. She reported that GMC supported her fully, and her product was outfitted with seals, labelling, nutrition facts, packaging, samples, bar code and all the relevant licences.

“In 2021, I went to GMC and managed to get my small business licensed, and I received training as well to market my product, which paved the way for my small business as an agro-processor,” she said.

Basdeo added that she took the steps necessary for her small business to take off, and it was the way forward for her because she has since been invited to participate in local and overseas expos.

Further, the agro-processor approached the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department to become certified, and went to the Guyana National Bureau of Standards to receive her ‘Made in Guyana’ label and standards.

Basdeo explained that she wanted her product to be of quality and attain all the requirements for a top-quality product that is wholesome and of high standard.

She disclosed that when she started, it was from her kitchen at home with herself, her niece and nephew and her father. Today, she has established Basdeo’s Dynasty as an agro processor who has her own facility at her residence, and has in her employ two staffers.

From just peppersauce and mango achar, Basdeo’s Dynasty has evolved into much more, offering other products such as ground garam masala, ground jeera, whole jeera, nutmeg, turmeric, split peas powder, plantain flour, saltfish, and recently started tamarind achar and packaged red beans which is also grown locally. Even though her processing facility, which is located behind her residence, is adequate, Basdeo is looking to expand to keep her factory updated with all stainless-steel equipment.

“Working for yourself, with yourself, is quite empowering. It takes real determination and endurance to be successful, and once you have the support system (people to keep you motivated), it can happen. You just need to make a start, no matter how small. Look at me. Today, my small business is growing quite nicely and I am overwhelmed by the feedback, the support and the way things have turned out for me,” Basdeo said.

She revealed that she was once very introverted, and she signed up for a course in public speaking and gained the confidence she needed to interact with people better.

This year has also been quite eventful for Basdeo. She won the micro agro-processing national overall quality award from Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). She also participated in the Agri Expo and the Xmas Village in 2022 and in 2023, she attended the AgroFest in Barbados, Everything Vincy in St. Vincent, this year’s Agri Investment Forum and Expo and GuyExpo.

She related that at most expos, the slated fish and the achars are usually in demand and being there to get feedback from customers is good.

As a female-owned agro-processor, Basdeo said the reviews have been good, and she would like to have her products on the shelves of all supermarkets, shops and stores in Guyana.

“Use whatever resources you have at your disposal to elevate yourself, make a start, and don’t wait until you have everything. Things will fall into place eventually, go out, be seen and heard. You will come to profitability eventually,” Basdeo said.