INVESTMENT opportunities in agriculture and agri-business in the Caricom region was brainstormed when a team of officials representing the region met with several firms here on Thursday, the second day of the Caricom/Cuba/Florida Trade and Investment Conference organised by Outreach Aid to the Americas (OAA).The team of officials, headed by the Minister of Trade and Investment of Belize, the Honourable Rafael Contreras, included Ambassador Bayney Karran of Guyana, Dean of the Caricom Diplomatic Corps in the United States; a team from the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) headed by its Executive Director Dr Barton Clarke; Captain Gerry Gouveia,

former Chairman of the Private Sector Commission of Guyana; and Mr Wesley Kirton, Director of Caribbean outreach at OAA, participated in a forum hosted by Fowler White Burnett, PA, which represents several US and international firms that have investments in, and do business with, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Fowler White team was headed by shareholder Mr John Friedhoff.

The cultivation and processing of key crops with significant export potential was identified, and a menu of incentives for investors was outlined. Minister Contreras and Ambassador Karran spoke of the encouraging investment climate in the Caricom region, and the availability of arable land; while Captain Gouveia addressed issues relating to logistics, to ensure the efficient transport of produce and products to international markets.

In addition to discussing agricultural development, environmental needs and economic impact, the forum addressed the need to move to agro-processing and agriculture-based manufacturing.

It was also agreed that faculty interaction among the University of the West Indies, the University of Guyana, the Guyana School of Agriculture and Zamorano University in Honduras should be encouraged, as well as increased interaction between the Caricom nations and the private agriculture sector in the United States, with a focus on bilateral and multilateral funding to promote investment and agro processing in the region.

Meetings were also held with other companies, including Ocho Rios Foods, whose brands are widely distributed in the international market. The Ocho Rios team, headed by its chairman, Mr Aston Lue, outlined a variety of new agri-based products for which there are markets, and requested additional information related to cultivation and processing, especially in Guyana and Belize.

Conference Chair Wesley Kirton said that meetings with the individual firms provided an opportunity for more in-depth discussions following the previous day’s deliberations, and for questions to be answered and ideas exchanged.

He said follow-up discussions will take place on issues such as the legal framework under which land for cultivation would be made available to investors, and the willingness of farmers to sell their crops directly to companies that invest in processing facilities.

“We had two days of very good deliberations, and these will be followed up with more meetings later this month, when the Executive Director of CARDI visits Florida en route to a meeting in Central America,” Mr Kirton said.