Minister of Agriculture
Zulfikar Mustapha
October 24 ,2020
In a bid to assist local farmers access regional export markets, the Guy-ana government is in discussions with the Carib-bean Community (CARICOM) in hopes of securing the relaxation or removal altogether of what it sees as some rigid non-tariff measures on local food produce, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha has said.
“There are a number of [areas] where our farmers get a hard time exporting their produce. We are currently working with CARICOM in hope of getting one set of measures that is operable for all countries,” Mustapha told the Stabroek News.
“For example, in Barbados, we can export peppers with the stem on but in Trinidad and Tobago, the farmers have to take the stems off before it is allowed in. When this happens, the lifespan of pepper is shortened and you find they rot easily,” he added.
Mustapha said that Guyana’s farmers have fresh fruits and vegetables to supply sister CARICOM countries but because of the sometimes harsh sanitary and phytosanitary non-tariff barriers, food is left here to rot. He said he sees that as a wastage of food, labour and revenue that could impact not only this country but the importing ones as well as their citizens could see decreased prices at their markets.
A Forbes report in February stated that with the combined food import bill for the 14 CARICOM member countries increasing from $2.08 billion in 2000 to $4.75 billion in 2018 and that by the end of 2020 it is expected to increase to $8 billion to 10 billion given current trends.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Belize, Guyana, and Haiti are the only CARICOM nations that produce more than 50% of their consumption.
Mustapha said that as a means to ensure food security here and in the region, his ministry had placed emphasis on supporting local farmers in every aspect of farming while working to secure markets both here and in the region. It is why he is encouraging locals to invest in agriculture because “there will always be a demand for food produce”.
He said that he hopes that the CARICOM talks yield rewards and farmers will in the near future be able to export their produce without the burdensome red tapes.
‘Grow more and buy local’
And starting from early January, government’s plan is to use local suppliers for government agencies’ produce needs. “I am planning also for next year that there be a revamping of the system so as to tap into our local markets. For example, the prisons require a substantial amount of agricultural produce and fish and poultry. What we will do is through the Guyana Marketing [Corporation], have local farmers meet those needs. So if the prisons and GDF need those things, the Ministry of Agriculture facilitates GMC supplying from the local level. They will have to buy from the local farmers,” he explained.
Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels told this newspaper that “just over $500 million” is spent on the dietary needs of prisoners annually. The World Prison Brief, a database that provides free access to information about prison systems throughout the world, states that as of June of 2019, Guyana prison population was 2,069.
The Minister of Agricul-ture said that GMC and the ministry will work to ensure that the farmers are given a fair price for their produce.
“I have a meeting with the marketing people and hopefully very shortly we will again start our grow more and buy local initiative. The ministry will be working side by side with the farmers but is not for us to make a profit but it is so that they can,” he said.