Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said micro-financing assistance will be given to prospective as well as established farmers in the cottage industry to boost their operations.
Agriculture ministers Ali Baksh (left) and Dr Leslie Ramsammy (hand in pocket) interacting with farmers
Addressing farmers on a recent visit to Region Two, the minister said through the scheme, farmers will receive small loans and grants to elevate them from subsistence production to production for export.
He said groups as well as entrepreneurs will benefit from loans and grants from the Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Development (READ) initiative, and noted that the aim is to modernise and commercialise the cottage industry.
The minister echoed these sentiments while on an inspection tour of Roy’s Extra Quality Spice, owned by Lakeraj Singh from Adventure. Dr Ramsammy said the business is a perfect example of a cottage industry and true entrepreneurship.
The businesses manufactures curry powder, garam masala, achar powder and many other products made from spices for the local market.
He said the ministry has embarked on a massive “spice diversification programme” to encourage farmers to grow non perishable crop. “We are advising farmers to grow turmeric, black pepper and nutmeg, so that there will be a boost in the spice industry, and more small cottage industry will be establish, thereby creating employment for many.” According to Dr Ramsammy, his vision is to ensure farmers move away from subsistence to large scale farming.
“Guyana should not be importing spices, we should be able to provide our local businessmen with our own spices, it should be grown locally,” he said, pointing out that the necessary resources as well as technical advice will be provided by the ministry.
The minister said his vision is to enable local entrepreneurs to convert locally grown spices/raw materials to a host of different products. Speaking on Guyana’s export, he said 56,000 pounds of orchard vegetables are being exported to the Caribbean from the Parika Packaging plant.
Dr Ramsammy said currently, there is a demand for lime on the international market, and though lime is available in abundance here, the National Agriculture Extension and Research Institute is tasked with the responsibility of introducing a seed-less lime variety to Guyana. He said Guyana does not have the species of lime that is in demand on the international market, and would require NARI to do relevant research on the seed-less lime with the hope to commence cultivation as early as possible.
Dr Ramsammy along with minister within the Agriculture Ministry, Ali Baksh and regional vice chairman Vishnu Samaroo while in Adventure visited a few farms and interacted with farmers.
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