St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister made special Interest visit to the Guyana Marketing Corporation’s Guyana Shop during CARICOM Heads of Government Intersessional meeting

Guyana, Georgetown, Ministry of Agriculture – The twenty-eighth Intersessional meeting of CARICOM heads of Government was recently held at the Marriot Hotel. During this meeting, the Guyana Marketing Corporation was privileged to have a booth containing fresh fruits and vegetable and our some locally manufactured Agro-processed products on display at the Marriot Hotel Guyana. Heads of Governments officials and their respective delegation were able to view the wide variety of products produced locally made in Guyana.

A special visit was made to the Guyana Marketing Corporation’ s Guyana Shop on Friday, February 17, 2017, by Dr. Ralph Gonsalves; Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This visit was prompted from the view of GMC’s display that was mounted at the Marriot Hotel during the 28^th Intersessional Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government on February 16 and 17 February 2017.

Dr. Gonzales expressed pleasure with the local products that were aptly displayed and during his interaction with Marketing Officer; Ms. Ally-Khan.

The Guyana Shop houses strictly local products that are manufactured or repackaged in Guyana from over eighty Agro-processors. A detailed tour of the shop was facilitated by the Supervisor of the Guyana Shop; Mr. Cleland Kingston and General Manager; Ms. Ida Sealey-Adams. Some of the products that were of the greatest interest to Prime Minster Gonsalves were as follows:

• Snack foods; (coconut biscuit and salted nuts)
• Virgin coconut oil
• Honey
• Soaps (turmeric and honey, neem and honey)
• Peanut butter
• Jam (cherry and guava)
• Herbal teas; moringa and lemon grass
• Flours: GSA’s cassava flour, GSA’s porridge mix and coconut flour

Dr. Gonsalves was keen to know how the flours are prepared.

At the end of the visit of the Guyana Shop, a tour was made at Bourda market where Prime Minister interacted with the vendors for fruits and vegetables which the vendors much enjoyed. Tangerines were also purchased at the market.

The Guyana Marketing Corporation continues to aggressively engage farmers in good agricultural practices and diligently works with our potential and current Agro-processors grow local and become Agro-processors also. With regards to the development of markets, the Corporation uses every opportunity to promote the non-traditional commodities with aim of expanding markets.