Guyana Marketing Corporation

Press Release

Farmers’ Market Attracts Hundreds

Hundreds of people flocked to the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) today as farmers from across the coastland continued a massive retail sale of fresh fruits and vegetables as part of several interventions being taken by the Ministry of Agriculture to aid farmers who may be affected by high intensity rainfall currently being experienced.

The exercise saw participation from farmers from various communities including Kuru Kuru, Friendship, Caneville, Canal Number Two Polder and Parika, East Bank Essequibo.

The retail fruit and vegetable sale which started last Saturday aims to facilitate farmers who, in light of the Grow More Food campaign launched last March, have increased production, which may become threatened by prolonged accumulation of water due to current weather conditions.

Consumers have also been encouraged to take advantage of the activity since a wide range of produce is available at affordable prices.

Commenting on the sale last Saturday, Lennox Batson, a Friendship, East Bank Demerara farmer, welcomed the opportunity to market his produce, which primarily included plantain, cassava, sweet potato and eddoe. He had noted that such initiatives provide a golden opportunity for farmers to sell their produce directly to consumers, thereby assuring them a better quality product at an affordable price.

Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud at a recent press conference acknowledged that during the current rainy season, a disruption in vegetable production have been noted, but while data indicate there might not be a countrywide shortage, an imbalance exists in availability, particularly in city markets. To address this problem, GMC has deployed teams to identify locations where supply has not been affected, in an effort to make provision for other areas which have seen a temporary dip.