A TEAM that has recently completed a fact finding mission on the feasibility of large-scale cassava farming at the Pirara Ranch in the North Rupununi, led by Vic Oudit, the proprietor of the ranch, paid a courtesy call on Guyanese Head of State President Bharrat Jagdeo at the Office of the President on Tuesday.

President Bharrat Jagdeo and Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, meet with members of the fact-finding team that recently concluded a mission to determine the feasibility of cassava farming at the Pirara Ranch in the North Rupununi.

The team included Dr. Aicardo Roa-Espinosa, President of Soil Net Limited; and Liang Guotao, Chief Engineer, General Machinery Engineering Department of the China National Heavy Machinery Corporation who spoke with the Government Information Agency (GINA) after the engagement with the President.

Dr. Roa Espinosa indicated that the mission was successful and it was determined that Guyana, and the Pirara Ranch, would be a great place to develop cassava farming.

“It is a very easy crop; a crop that is rustic and we believe that Guyana is a great place to do it; Guyana has very nice soil and has a lot of water. We are very encouraged, very positive. The soil, the land and the water are fantastic,” he stated.

Mr. Guotao concurred with Dr. Roa-Espinosa.

Members of the fact-finding team pose for a group photo after their courtesy call on President Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday. On the left is Liang Guotao, Chief Engineer, General Machinery Engineering Department of the China National Heavy Machinery Corporation and beside him is Dr. Aicardo Roa-Espinosa, President of Soil Net Limited. Second from right is Mr. Vic Oudit, proprietor of the Pirara Ranch.

On the uses for the cassava, Dr. Roa-Espinosa stated, “Cassava is one of the crops that can produce bio-energy, ethanol for use in gasoline, and it is a crop that can be used as a source of food. The Amerindians in America have been using cassava for a long time.”

With the successful completion of the fact-finding mission, Dr. Roa-Espinosa indicated that the next step would be to develop the plan for the project with their Chinese partner, who would be building all the machinery.

“We got support from the President of Guyana and the business community has been very welcoming to us,” he concluded, expressing the likelihood that he would be returning to Guyana shortly to continue developing the project.