Guyana, Trinidad discuss barriers of agricultural exports

After restricting the exportation of several products from Guyana to Trinidad and Tobago, the two nations have sought to address the challenges involved in exporting agricultural produce, though a delegation which recently facilitated talks on a number of trending issues and setbacks.

Last week technical experts from both countries convened at the Agriculture Ministry in Trinidad and Tobago, where a bilateral meeting discussed market access issues related to the export of agricultural products and the difficulties faced by Guyanese exporters.
The Guyanese delegation was led by High Commissioner of Guyana to the twin-island republic, Bishwaishwar Ramsaroop-Maraj, senior officials from the Foreign Affairs and Agriculture Ministries, the New Guyana Marketing Corporation, Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).
Meanwhile, the Trinidadian team featured parliamentary Secretary in the Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Ministry, Senator Avinash Singh and other stakeholders from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Affairs of Trinidad.
Some of the topics deliberated on included challenges in exporting fresh agricultural products, the transhipment of honey, the ban on the export of poultry meat from Guyana, trade in equine, and the revision of the Trinidad and Tobago-Guyana Fresh Agricultural Produce and Forest Products Trade Protocol (2009). Following the meeting, both countries agreed to find resolutions to the issues discussed.
Last June Trinidad’s Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Ministry issued a complete ban on all poultry emanating from Guyana after expressing concerns over duck viral hepatitis. A memo signed by the twin-island republic’s Senior Veterinary Officer informed the Customs and Excise Division of the ban.
“As instructed by the Chief Veterinary Officer Animal Health Sub-Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries in accordance with the Animals (Diseases and Importation) Act Chap 67:02 please be informed that with immediate effect all and any raw and cooked poultry meat from Guyana is banned from entry into Trinidad and Tobago until further notice. Upon arrival at ports of entry, such items are therefore to be seized for destruction,” the memo stated.
T&T’s Agriculture Minister, Clarence Rambharat, had confirmed the ban and revealed that Guyana advised them of the presence of duck virus hepatitis in a part of the country.
As it relates to honey, a 1935 T&T law prohibits the transportation of honey within one mile of the country. In fact, back in 2015, Laparkan was fined US$3000 by Trinidad and Tobago’s customs for facilitating the shipment of honey. The authorities had also seized the quantity of honey which was in-transit there. Apart from Guyana, Grenada also faces similar troubles with the twin-island’s laws.
However, Trinidad’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, had committed last year that his country is looking into the 80-year-old law which restricts Guyana from transhipping honey exports through his country.