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ESSEQUIBO, Guyana (Thursday, November 12, 2020) — The Ministry of Agriculture is accelerating efforts to revamp the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) to provide more support for farmers.
The GMC was established to promote locally-produced goods, by offering the items for sale, and linking buyers and sellers, locally, regionally and internationally.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, stated that the organisation must be restructured, to “be more responsive to the needs of the people […]. We will ensure that we spend the resources to give you the kind of guidance needed, and establish the necessary infrastructure. We will work along with you to produce […] and will work overtime to meet your needs.”
The Minister gave these assurances during an outreach to Hogg Island, Wakenaam and Leguan, in the Essequibo region, on Tuesday.
Minister Mustapha said his Ministry plans to buy produce from farmers, on a large scale, and resell them to inter-governmental agencies.
This will reduce spoilage and waste, generate revenue, create new markets and create jobs, both within and without the region, he explained, adding that refrigeration trucks would also be purchased.
“There are a lot of improvements for you in the future. We are putting more measures in place. We will have better conditions for the farmers and there will be more investment in the agriculture sector,” Minister Mustapha said. Farmers in the region welcomed the Minister’s plans and heaped praise on the government, for fulfilling its campaign promises to advance agriculture.
