Local craft producers eyeing Canadian market

The Guyana Arts and Craft Producers Association (GACPA) is hoping to expand its reach into the Canadian market, boost its services, and improve labelling and packaging on all export products.
Since 2009, the Canadian Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) has been working with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) to support export readiness.
According to Public Relations Officer Charlene London, the TFO has also been assisting in the area of accessing Canadian markets for producers of fresh products and processed food with export potential.  London stated that support has included training and advisory support on the Canadian market, and on packaging requirements for export markets.
Five exporters of fresh produce (pumpkin, tropical fruits, eddoes) participated in a trade mission to Toronto and Montreal in November 2010. In May 2011, six processed food exporters (condiments, jams, peanut butter, honey, and juices) exhibited their products at the SIAL Canada trade show in Toronto.
“These activities have resulted in a number of improvements undertaken by the exporters such as improvements to packaging and forming of joint ventures to pursue export markets collectively,” London said.
All five companies participating in the November Exporters’ mission have established market linkages with new Canadian buyers, and some have generated new export sales.
“The experience, thus far, and the preliminary results have confirmed the market potential for these exporters,” London noted.
The experience has also revealed a number of challenges for potential Guyanese exporters in the agro-food sector that limit their opportunities to do business in North America. This includes improvements required in the post-harvest handling of produce, and in obtaining the necessary certifications in order to do business in Canada, or other developed export markets.
It was recommended that additional support be provided to potential and early-stage agro-exporters in Guyana to help them meet these requirements and then to build on this support and the earlier market contact activities by organising a buyers’ mission to Guyana to encourage further linkages for these exporters with international markets in order to generate additional export sales.
Since 2010, TFO Canada has been working with eight Guyanese artisanal manufacturers of furniture and home décor products by providing product design and development support.
The GACPA last week hosted Canadian trade facilitators, who were in Guyana from November 26 to 30. The TFO used the opportunity to commence its first phase of activities under an agreement signed between GACPA, GMSA, CESO and TFO.  During this phase, the trade office viewed exhibits by the local artisan sector and chose products that are expected to be introduced to the Canadian market through the Canadian Trade Fair 2013.