Page 41 - GMSA 2017 AR Print for flip1

TRADE FACILITATION AND MARKETING AND PROMOTION

with a view to expand and diversify Guyana’s agricultural economy, Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Eddie
sector. Mr Nokta said that while some progress has been Boyer, in his remarks, urged, “We must not neglect our
made, there was still room for improvements. “Our agro agriculture sector, but instead we must be wise and build
processors are often unable to compete, both at the on the base.” He also suggested that Guyana tapped into
domestic level and external markets, and there are many the international market for organic produce.
reasons for this, such as poor economies of scale, producers “We have the advantage of being exposed to growth in
not being able to maintain supply and consistency, packaging agro-culture technology, the exposure to new methods
and labelling not being attractive enough and difficulties in of growing and these would result in higher yields, better
accessing markets.” products and expanded markets and the net effect of all of
these would be expansion in export trade and increase in
Apart from these, he said the GMSA wanted to hear from foreign currency.”
Government on what its policy on agro processing was.
“We need the role of traditional agriculture and new Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, who also attended the
agriculture needs to be articulated, along with the thinking event, said, “The Ministry is proud to be a part of this
regarding agro processing. Recently, there has been the innovative and practical attempt to link local producers with
announcement of several initiatives, the turmeric factory
in Region One, the cereal factory in Region Two, successful
trials, which have grown potato in Guyana among other
initiatives. While commendable, for these and other efforts
to be sustained, they need to be situated within a clear
policy framework for agriculture development and agro
processing.”

He also took the opportunity to highlight three critical
barriers to agro processing. These are financing,
transportation, and energy consumption. On the issue of
finance, Mr Nokta said, “For many agro processors, access
to affordable finance in a timely manner and at reasonable
concessionary terms is a challenge, but this need not be
the case, there is a high level of liquidity in the banking
system which could be channelled to agriculture and agro
processing once the right policies are in place.”

While the emerging oil and gas sector is important to the
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