‘Jacobs Agro’ making headway with local produce
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, February 20, 2019
A small agro-processing company is in on the move to transform the industry, while at the same time, providing hundreds of jobs, particularly for youths.
Jacobs Agro, located at Hararuni, Linden Soesdyke Highway, has been in operation for just about a year. However, it has already been making headway in markets locally and internationally.
The impressive work of owner Mark Jacobs and team received high commendation from Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, who toured the farm earlier today.
The company plants and processes (by drying) a range of products from cassava, tumeric, ginger, pepper, to celery, parsley, thyme, lime, lemon and annatto. Jam is also produced from sorrel and passionfruit; something that took Minister Jordan by surprise.
Jacobs said the company is aiming to process between 20 to 30,000 pounds of pepper per month. Other products will be produced at 5,000 pounds each monthly.
Without preservatives or any other chemicals, the items are dried packaged and ready for the market.
Minister Jordan took a particular interest in the processing of seasoning, which Jacobs explained, is produced without salt or any other chemical compound.
“If you can show that you can experiment with the natural herbs without salt, you can get a proper flavour,” Minister Jordan said.
Jacobs is currently working along with a University of Guyana’s (UG) student who is engaged in chemical research and will be collaborating with the institution to work on some products. He explained that each of the items processed will be tested. He said the company has a bank of information on the quality and nutritional content of what is being produced.
The Finance Minister was also impressed with the quality of flour produced from cassava. The flour is being used to make a host of products, including bread and pancakes. According to him, while wheat flour is the “go-to” healthy flour, many persons are not aware of the nutritional value of the cassava flour. Minister Jordan said it would be a good thing if the product comes to the local market.
“More and more people are talking healthy and are trying to experiment with more of the flours including eddo, cassava, rice and now you’re talking about banana flour.” He said all the products are local and can be grown here.”
The company is said to also have done trials with the cassava flour. According to Jacobs, it was taken to a local restaurant and the reception was remarkable.
On display, today, at the Soesdyke Highway farm was the purely dried mango fruit, which is produced by the Aishalton and Shulinab Women’s group.
“The great thing about it is that it is all Guyanese and is a collaboration between residents in Region 4 and Region 9. We should be putting stuff like this in our duty-free shops at Ogle and Cheddi Jagan International Airports; and when we are going on our trips, we can introduce it to the diaspora so that they understand that lots of work occurring in Guyana to ensure that we are diversified in terms of food,” the minister said as he commended the move.
He reiterated the government’s strong support for local manufacturers and producers. He said it is time local producers get the encouragement to get their ideas and products off the ground.
Alexis Rodney.
Images: Jules Gibson.