Guyana, Panama sign agreement on Agricultural trade, research

Guyana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Panama for collaboration in the development of agriculture and trade between the two countries, one; an agriculture giant in Caricom, and the other; a trade and economic hub in Central America.

The MoU includes close collaboration in building the potential of the rice industries of both countries.

According to Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, one of the first outcomes from the MoU is that Guyana on August 14 signed contracts with the Panama Government to supply rice on a monthly basis for the rest of 2014.

Partnership

The MoU is intended to facilitate a partnership between the two countries for scientists and agricultural research institutions to work collaboratively to enhance agriculture and trade between the countries and with other Caricom and Central American countries.

The areas identified for the collaboration include, but are not limited to, rice, fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, fish and other areas related to agriculture.

The activities and programmes of cooperation will be achieved through exchange of delegations of experts, scientists and technicians, seed crops and animal breeds, information and technical documents, trade in agricultural products, joint organisation of technical seminars, workshops and conferences, coordination of research projects of interest to both countries, among others.

Dr Ramsammy said the MoU gives effect to the intention of President Donald Ramotar and President Juan Carlos Varela of Panama to develop stronger ties between Guyana and Panama and between Caricom and Central America.

The two leaders met as Presidents for the first time in Colombia on August 6. President Varela was sworn in as President of Panama on July 2.

Trade in rice

As a consequence of the meeting in Colombia between the two Presidents, a team led by Dr Ramsammy, Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) General Manager Jagnarine Singh and Rice producers Association General Secretary Dharamkumar Seeraj, concluded successful meetings with officials of the Government of Panama that resulted in Guyana being given meaningful access to the Panamanian market.

The Agriculture Ministry team was able to secure a contract that will see a monthly export of about 5,000 tonnes per month, beginning in September and taking the contract period to the end of 2014. New contracts for 2015 are to be negotiated on satisfactory conclusion of these initial contracts.

The contracts to export rice to Panama in September and monthly to the end of 2014 were signed at the Office of the Agriculture Minister in Panama City on August 14.

Final terms for the contract were agreed after negotiation between Guyana’s team of Dr Ramsammy, Seeraj and Singh and the team from the Agriculture Ministry of Panama, led by the Vice Minister of Agriculture, Dr Esteban Giron.

The signing of the new contracts to supply rice to Panama in a Government-to-Government arrangement ensures that Guyana’s rice market continues to expand, even as production has increased significantly.

The Government of Guyana, through the Agriculture Ministry and the GRDB, and in collaboration with the RPA, has been working diligently to expand demand for Guyana’s rice and paddy to overseas markets.