The Ministry of Agriculture will collaborate with the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) on its new ‘Grow More’ initiative to implement a farming model that will meet the supply and demand of locally grown produce.

According to a press release from the United States Agency for International Development/Guyana Trade and Investment Support (USAID/GTIS) project, the ministry noted that the new campaign was not the first time focus has been placed on farmers growing more produce. However, it said, it was the first market-led approach that uses specific in-demand crops. This technique is being implemented for crops for both local consumption and for export. The drive for the ‘Grow More’ campaign is rooted in the “market-led approach to agriculture diversification through the export of non-traditional products from Guyana,” the release said. The USAID/GTIS has been working closely with the GMC to secure markets for Guyana’s produce.  Since January six 40-foot containers with about 45,000 lbs of mostly pumpkins, eddoes, coconuts and smaller quantities of sugarcane, butternut squash and melon have been exported to Toronto, Canada. The produce was obtained from farmers in Crabwood Creek, West Coast Berbice, Wakenaam and Parika and was sent in fortnightly shipments from a certified packaging facility that prepares produce for export.

Further, in an effort to boost exports to Canada, representatives from USAID/GTIS would be attending the Salon International de l’Alimentation International Food Trade Show in Montreal from April 23-25. This exhibition attracts about 700 exhibitors from the world agri-food industry and about 14,000 industry professionals. The show allows attendees to launch new products, meet investors and develop new export markets and will serve to establish Guyana in the international agriculture market.

According to the release after representatives attended past trade shows butternut squash was identified as a product with high demand and, after a few test crops, the produce was cultivated at a model farm on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway. Employing technologies such as drip irrigation and plastic mulching the farm will have 25 acres in three phases of planting. The first harvest is expected in August and will be used to fill standing orders in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands.