Benefits of non-traditional crops

Dear Editor,

It is my firm belief that agriculture is the way forward in building a strong, sustainable and self-reliant economy.

Until now, there have been many half-hearted attempts to focus on non-traditional crops as not only a source of foreign exchange, but as an important measure to save on scarce US dollars. Everyone knows the benefits, yet no one is willing to take up the challenge.

Currently in Guyana, there is a huge and expanding market for cauliflower, broccoli and carrots. It is estimated that this market is in excess of US$20 million. One huge supermarket in Georgetown, which has four branches, imports nearly 15,000 kg of broccoli annually, which costs Gy$24.7 million, or US$118,000. This works out to $1,872 per kg. It must be noted that carrots are used in every home countrywide!

In May 2014, the Agriculture Ministry (MoA) harvested its first crop of carrots and beets from the demonstration plots at the Guyana School of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) at Mon Repos, ECD. It was estimated at that time that Guyana imports about $200 million worth of carrots and beets. The MoA further stated that it was intended that importation of these crops would end by 2020. What is being done to achieve this deadline?

Also in 2014, the then Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, had proposed a plan to grow broccoli and cauliflower in commercial quantities, to save on import costs. However, this did not bear fruit, even though successful experiments were also carried out at the UG Campus at John’s, Port Mourant just a few months back. Will we see some progress in this regard?

It is an established scientific fact that broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are known as the ‘powerhouse foods’, so their nutritional value cannot be overemphasized. So the country and its people could benefit in more ways than one!

Furthermore, the Finance Ministry has indicated that the country is faced with an extremely high food import bill, and all efforts should be aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on the importation of key commodities.

Agriculture must be seen as a business, and entrepreneurs should not feel that only farmers must be involved in agriculture. They must not only limit their investments to buying and selling. Businessmen should widen their investment portfolios to include profitable agriculture ventures such as the cultivation of non-traditional crops as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and many others. It is an extremely profitable venture. They can employ professionals to advise and guide them along; and, of course, they must have the finance which traditional farmers may lack.

Guyana is endowed with suitable fertile lands and climate to successfully cultivate these crops, as the experiments have proven. Why should we continue to imports products which we can grow, which can provide jobs, and which can earn and save scarce foreign exchange?

Yours sincerely,

Haseef Yusuf

RDC Councillor, Region 6