Govt looks to Region 1 to boost agri produce supply to city

…to diversify wholesalers, aid in lowering food costs at city markets

In an effort to cushion food prices for produce in the city, the Government is looking at diversifying the sources through which retailers of agricultural produce acquire their goods. This includes looking at Region One (Barima-Waini) to supply wholesale produce.

During President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s visit to Bourda Market in Georgetown on Wednesday, he asked vendors about their produce prices. It quickly became clear that high prices were largely due to scarcity and the cost of transporting goods.
One vendor related that having bought her produce wholesale from Parika, Region Three (Essequibo Island-West Demerara), the prices for items like eddo and sweet potato are high due to their scarcity. At this point, President Ali noted that the government can provide logistical support in sourcing products.
“We can bring this out… we got a lot of provision in the interior… we will look at Region One, make a note,” President Ali directed a member of his entourage, which included Minister within the Ministry of Local Government Anand Persaud and People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor on the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, Alfonso De Armas.
In Region One, the MV Ma Lisha ferry, which was built by Indian firm Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) at a cost of US$12.7 Million, has been plying the North-West, Region One and Georgetown route over the past year.
When it was commissioned in 2023, President Ali, who was the feature speaker at the commissioning, had spoken of the important role the MV Ma Lisha was expected to play in Guyana’s development, when it comes to transporting goods out of Region One.
“Region One has the potential to produce all the cassava, eddoes, sweet potatoes, yams, turmeric, ginger, and cage culture fish that the entire Trinidad and Tobago can utilise. Region One alone has this capacity. So, this ship… is an opportunity to open up a new discourse with India. That is the replacement of our fleet, but more importantly, making use of this opportunity of trade between Region One and Trinidad and along the rest of CARICOM,” the president had said.
The ferry has a capacity of up to 276 passengers, along with 18 crew members, and also carries 14 sedan-type vehicles and two trucks. It can also accommodate up to 250 tonnes of cargo with cold storage facilities.
It also comprises a front loading/offloading ramp that can accommodate easy loading and discharging of cargo at ports she will call on. The vessel also has a side boarding capacity. A total of 19 navigational, mechanical, and auxiliary staff of the Transport and Harbours Department were trained in India in 2022 and 2023, to operate the new ferry vessel.
President Ali had also noted that with the ship’s cold storage capability, there would be opportunities for both primary and secondary foods to be transported out of Region One. He had also cited the opportunity for high-demand crops to be exported to international markets.
The commissioning of the ferry was also done in the context of the government’s commitment to the ‘Vision 25 by 2025’ initiative and to investing in the agricultural potential of all regions across the country.
Vision 25 by 2025 aims for the Caribbean to achieve a 25 per cent reduction in the Region’s food import bill by 2025. Owing to the Region’s dependency on imported food it faces hardships when disruptions occur.
In light of this, the intention was to formulate a sense of food stability and security… country by country, with Guyana playing a key role in helping other countries achieve greater food security. Only recently, President Ali had revealed that the Guyana Government intends to use science and technology to advance the agricultural sector.
This includes initiatives such as developing an industrial cassava flour mill, producing refined and organic sugar, and establishing a regional data facility. (G3)