Government and UMAMI sign agro-processing MoU

THE GUYANA GOVERNMENT AND UMAMI INCORPORATED SIGNED A
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) to construct a multi-million-dollar agro-
processing plant in Black Bush Polder, East Berbice/Corentyne, (Region Six).
The Ministry of Agriculture, which representing the GoG said construction of the facility will
commence within the next six months and when fully operational, with employ some 60 persons.
Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha, who was at the historic signing ceremony, said
the agreement will help ensure Guyana is not just a producer of primary products.
“Part of the Government’s agenda for agriculture is to have more value-added products coming
out of Guyana. Many farmers are still practicing subsistence farming and this is preventing them
from getting the full value of their produce. As a government, we want to ensure that the
necessary facilities are available while assisting farmers to have more monies for their produce,”
Minister Mustapha said at the signing ceremony.
“With Guyana now playing that lead role in agriculture in CARICOM and a Task Force set up to
advance the agri-food system, we are looking at ways to remove the barriers that are hampering
the export of our produce to certain parts of the Caribbean. I think we have a good opportunity,
once those barriers are removed, to have our produce exported to other parts of the Caribbean
and the world,” the government official explained.
The Irfaan Ali administration is on an aggressive campaign to push public-private partnerships in
the country’s Agri sector, and “this year alone, we’ll be building several agro-processing
facilities across the country. We are also working with the public-private partnership (PPP)
formula, where private investors are also building and the Government acts as a facilitator to
these investments,” Mustapha stated.

The officials while signing the MOU[/caption]

On the deal struct with UMAMI, Mustapha explained “for this particular project, the
Government will be doing some infrastructural work in the area to ensure things are in place. Mr.
Chris Persaud (UMAMI’s Managing Director) has indicated his willingness to commence

construction as soon as possible so that this project can come into fruition soon, so that the full
potential of Black Bush Polder can be fully harnessed.”

Black Bush Polder is famous locally for producing tons of agricultural commodities. However,
pricing for their produce is always below market value. Mustapha believes the new facility
would reverse their fortunes even enabling them to create jobs for other residents.
The UMAMI Inc. facility will enable the company to integrate existing products into its product
line and also aid technology transfer to farmers in the Region Six community, Persaud said.
“As a manufacturer of high-quality, value-added food commodities, we are proud to be
exercising our patriotic duty to be a part of the rebuilding of the area. Black Bush Polder, as
many of you may know, is pretty much the heartland of our primary produce so this is also an
opportunity for integration into our existing line of products,” he explained.
He continued, “We also see it as an opportunity to transfer technology to the farmers so that they
can increase their capacity. The ultimate goal of the facility is to find ways and means to enhance
the shelf-life of the traditional products we have so that we can have less wastage and spoilage.”
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Go-Invest (Guyana Office for Investment) Dr
Peter Ramsaroop disclosed at the signing ceremony there has been a significant increase in local
and foreign investments in the agriculture sector over the last year.
“The Caribbean imports close to US$8B worth of food every year, and Guyana, from an
investment side, (is) seeing a lot of both foreign and local investors. What we’re most proud of is
that our local folks are stepping up to the plate, investing in agro-processing and large-scale
farming,” Dr Ramsaroop said.
“Our office is seeing a significant increase for the agriculture sector. For the year alone
we’re in double digits on investments in the sector. Ultimately, so far, close to 500 jobs will
be created with the agreements we’ve signed for the agriculture area,” the GO-Invest
official said.