Dear Editor,
I agree with Jerry La Gra, there is a lot of work to be done before one can effectively export fruits/vegetables for profit. For as long as I can remember successive governments and overseas agencies have talked about exports of fruits/vegetables. To date nothing substantial has been achieved when compared to the progress of other suppliers in South America/Caribbean. Several years ago in the early 90s, I attempted to get farmers/administration interested in supplying buyers in the UK. After samples of fruits were sent there, the buyers requested better packaging and scheduled deliveries of specified volumes. The samples were very good and the buyers wanted passion fruit, papaya, sapodilla and starfruit.
The buyers were prepared to supply the packaging and organise supervision prior to shipment by air. The late Sash Sawh had requested assistance in getting buyers and I informed him that the buyers in UK wanted all the fruits that they can get.
Not having the resources to undertake such a big venture I requested that the GMC get involved, as they had the vehicles and access to other resources to buy and deliver to central points for export preparation. I was told that the GMC will only advise and the farmers/myself had to organise finance/transportation.
The farming community consists of people with limited resources with regard to transport, finance and access to buyers overseas, and the government of the day wanted to export without doing anything tangible to assist. I did not need advice,
I knew the buyers and with their 5,000 outlets in UK, Guyana stood to gain a lot. I needed a commitment that the govt/GMC were prepared to buy the fruits from the farmers and export the same to buyers. This was not to be, around the same time I talked to people who were financially well off and had factory facilities to get involved. I found out that the businessmen I spoke to had no vision. One had a very big farm with passion fruits and other fruits.
I had suggested to the late minister to get the Dutch involved, they send people to Asia/Africa to advise/assist suppliers of fruits in preparation, packaging etc and they buy.
I have learnt that the government look for inspiration and ideas from within their own fold, they are not interested in utilising fertile brains. The government knows nothing about business and they send all sorts of individuals overseas to talk to businessmen. You can guess the results. One airline was prepared to divert an outward-bound flight from Barbados to UK to pick up a sizeable cargo of fruits weekly.
Yours faithfully,
Vijay Singh
