From dragon fruit jam to locally produced honey, small businesses are using the Berbice Expo and Trade Fair to introduce their products to new customers and explore opportunities to grow.

The event opened on Friday night at the Rose Hall Estate Community Centre ground in East Canje, with organisers reporting a strong turnout as patrons browsed booths offering products, services and promotions.

Organised by the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, the four-night expo runs from October 2 to 5 and features 180 booths and more than 150 exhibitors.

This year’s theme is “Harnessing AI to Transform the Future While Enhancing Our People.”

Region 6 Chairman Junior Basant said the opening night brought together businesses of different sizes and gave smaller producers an opportunity to reach a wider audience.

“I’m pleased with what I’m seeing here. We have a good mixture. There are small businesses, there are large businesses, there are persons traversing from booth to booth,” he said.

Among the products that caught Basant’s attention was a dragon fruit jam made with natural ingredients, including honey sourced from another local business.

“I tried this young lady’s dragon fruit jam. Ten out of ten, would recommend it,” he said.

Basant said the collaboration illustrated how local producers could work together to develop products and expand their markets.

He argued that exposure remains a challenge for some entrepreneurs, even when they have a product ready to sell.

“Oftentimes what we see, persons have a unique idea, they have an excellent idea that they’re able to produce something, but they’re not given the exposure, and that is what this expo brings,” he said.

Alongside reaching customers, Basant said exhibitors could use the event to meet other businesses and establish partnerships.

Basant also highlighted the difficulties some small producers face in increasing their output.

He recalled speaking with a honey producer who said a shortage of beehives limited her ability to maintain production throughout the year.

He said access to financing could help her acquire more hives and increase supply, pointing to the anticipated launch of the Guyana Development Bank as a potential avenue for business expansion.

Chamber President Adrian Anamayah described the opening night as a success, saying patrons continued to engage with exhibitors while live entertainment took place.

“This turnout has been spectacular tonight,” he said.

Anamayah encouraged families to visit during the remaining nights, with participating businesses offering promotions and giveaways alongside entertainment.

The Berbice Expo and Trade Fair continues through Monday, October 5.