Twelve farmers from Santa Cruz, Region One, recently received disbursements of $30,000 each from the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MoIPA) to assist in land clearing, preparation and planting.
According to a MoIPA release, the farmers will be supplying the soon-to-be established Fruit Factory in the community. Among the trees to be planted are cherry, orange, tangerine, lime, papaw, golden apple, guava, soursop, pineapple and banana.
The goal is to make the village which is located in the Moruca sub-district of Barima/Waini, Region One, one of the most industrious fruit juice, jelly and marmalade producing villages in Guyana.
Several farmers have already commenced land clearing and preparation. It is estimated that the fruits will be ready for harvesting between eighteen months to three years at which time the factory will be constructed, furnished and fully operable. Production will be done in keeping with international standards.
In her remarks to the farmers and residents of Santa Cruz, the Minister in the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe said: “Your Government believes in your village so we are going to help you and to support you and come next year, we will have more money for the processing factory because it will be done in three phases [a three-year project] and we know you will excel because you are hardworking, strong and an enterprising people.”
She assured the community of the Government’s commitment to making available the necessary support needed to ensure the project is sustained, villagers are gainfully employed, physical and infrastructural development realised and the goal of ensuring food security achieved.
Santa Cruz is home to more than four hundred residents who are involved in farming and fishing as their main economic activities.
The Fruit Farm will complement Kwebanna’s Cassava Processing Facility, the Santa Rosa Ground Coffee Project both in the Moruca sub-district and the Smith Creek Fish and Crab Processing Facility in the Mabaruma Sub-district.
