Farmers on the Upper Corentyne are being urged to take advantage of new market opportunities expected from a planned juice-processing plant in Skeldon.
Speaking during a meeting with farmers at Crabwood Creek on Saturday, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the government is working alongside Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) to create new markets for agricultural produce through the planned investment.
“There are lots of opportunities coming. The farmers who used to plant can plant 10,000 acres. We are now working with DDL. DDL will set up a juice plant here in Skeldon,” the minister told farmers.
He said the government has already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the company and is working with the Babaylon Co-op and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission to secure a site for the project.
The juice plant is intended to provide farmers in the area with a steady and reliable market for a range of crops, including passion fruit, cherries and guava.
“The farmers here on the Upper Corentyne will have the opportunity to plant the products that they want, things like passion fruit, cherry and guava. DDL is making a lot of those juices and they will need them. This will be all year round and this will be a ready market for you, the farmers. So all these opportunities are coming your way,” he said.
Mustapha said the initiative is part of broader efforts to expand agricultural production and create sustainable income opportunities for farmers across the region.
