Another potential success story for Guyana

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor,

Like sugar and rice, pineapple is beginning to stake its claim in Guyana; and it has every right to do so, as it is one of the most important fruit crops in the country, and is grown right across Guyana. I often hear that Guyana’s pineapples are the most delicious in the world.

If this is so, then we should be able to take advantage of market possibilities and rake in a few extra dollars for the farmers themselves.

I believe that, for us to get maximum benefit from our fruit crops, it is necessary for us to engage in careful planning and production practices, both of which could be accessed from the Agriculture Ministry via its extension programmes.

Every year at crop time, the local market is practically saturated with pineapples, which are sold at relatively cheap prices. Some of the fruit is also exported.

We have areas in Guyana that are known for pineapple production, where the fruit is produced in large quantities.

Three of the areas that come to mind are the Soesdyke-Linden Highway; Canals Polder, West Bank Demerara; and at Mainstay/Whyaka, Essequibo Coast.

While there is a processing factory at Mainstay, there are no such facilities at Canals Polder or at Soesdyke. There was a juice factory at Canals Polder, but it was recently destroyed by fire, and the owners are trying to get it reconstructed. These processing facilities are very important, and farmers should look into the possibility of establishing at least cottage industries, which could also serve to generate employment.

Pineapple could be yet another success story for Guyana. It has great potential; and as long as it is cultivated in a structured manner, the fruit could rake in great incomes for farmers.

At the moment, the one pineapple processing factory at Mainstay, Essequibo Coast, is doing very well processing chunked pineapples for the export market.

The factory employs some 27 persons at the moment, and purchases some 6,000 pineapples daily.

Some of these plants could also be multi-purpose processing facilities, where, because of their delicious and succulent nature, other fruits could also be processed.

These are all foreign currency earners which could benefit and encourage farmers.

Yours truly,

Susan Singh

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