$50 Million Agro-processing facility commissioned at Parika

– Facility has capacity to process 200 pounds raw material per hour

– 100 plantain farmers to benefit

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, March 4, 2020.

One hundred Region Three will benefit from the opening of a fifty-million-dollar agro-processing facility at Parika, over the past weekend.

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder who officially opened the facility said the more than 20 persons employed at the facility will collaborate with the Guyana Marketing Corporation, for assistance with sourcing packaging material, providing technical guidance in terms of the development of their nutritional labels and linkages to agencies.

During a tour of the newly commissioned facility, Floor Supervisor, Dwight Harris said approximately 24,000 pounds of plantains will be utilised on a monthly.

Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder, unveils the commemorative plaque to officially open the Parika agro-processing facility.

Minister Noel Holder and other officials during the tour of the agro-processing facility.

The newly launched Hana plantain chips.

The inside operations at the newly commissioned facility.

The inside operations at the newly commissioned facility.

The inside operations at the newly commissioned facility.

“This facility can process 200 pounds of raw material per hour, which will be weighed, washed and then passed through a slicer. After which it passes through the blancher, then it is placed into the dewatering machine which improves the shelf life for approximately six months,” Harris explained.

“The product is then placed into the dryer, the de-oiler, the seasoning drum where the flavour is added then onto the inspection table,’ he added.

Minister Holder noted that there has been an increase in the number of products manufactured in the agro-processing sector over the last four years this he credited to several partnerships between the Agriculture Ministry and other agencies

“We have collaborated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to tap into the diaspora to expand our agro-industry. Additionally, we have collaborated with other government and international partners to create an enabling environment to our farmers and other stakeholders. The Guyana Market Corporation has been the prime in the identification of markets to non-traditional crops,” he said.

A new brand of packaged plantain chips called “HANA” – which means river in Warrau – was also launched at the commissioning ceremony.