By Pushpa Balgobin
in Paramaribo, Suriname
Much more has to be done to catapult exports of fresh produce from Guyana into the region, according to an agribusiness specialist.
Robert Reid, Regional Agribusiness Specialist in the Inter-American Insti-tute on Cooperation for Agriculture told Stabroek News that Guyana will face challenges, but overall has been doing well in farming innovations.
Speaking to Stabroek News at the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) in Paramaribo, Suriname, Reid said that Guyana’s challenges in terms of the value chain and getting fresh produce circulating in the region continues to affect export potential.
Reid stated that “much more has to be done in terms of Guyana’s exports of fresh produce into the region, the challenge there being the transport link.”
He said that the comprehensive policy that was being discussed during the CWA hosted in part by the Caribbean Research Development Institute (CARDI) and the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Co-operation (CTA), needed to be formalized in cooperation with the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN).
Reid told Stabroek News that identifying the challenges was key this year so the framework can be implemented as quickly as possible.
He noted that at the end of the two days, dealing directly with the value chain, farmers and policy makers would
