Minister Mustapha – Farmers’ market coming to Region Six soon

The Agriculture Ministry will be partnering with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of
Region Six, to host a massive farmers’ market, which will allow entrepreneurs to better advertise
and sell their produce.
At separate farmers’ meeting in communities along the East Bank of Berbice recently, Minister
Zulfikar Mustapha revealed that the RDC is currently looking for an appropriate venue for the
event.
He noted that the exercise intends to attract agriculturists, specifically cash crop farmers and
agro-processors from across the district. “…we will facilitate you; we will set out a place for
you around the New Amsterdam area. We will advertise it well on a weekly basis. We could
have a farmers’ market,” Mustapha said.
The minister stressed that the initiative will also assist the ministry in properly organising
farmers within the county. Mustapha noted that extension officers will continue to work with
farmers to provide guidance related to the right farming techniques, among other integral areas.
The agriculture minister revealed that the farmers’ market will help reduce skyrocketing prices
and will give farmers the opportunity to sell their produce at affordable costs. “We were doing an
analysis a few days back and when you look at the cost that the people are purchasing these
things at the farm gate, and the market price, it is not the farmers who are making the money, it
is the people who purchase from the farmers,” he explained.
Minister Mustapha added, “They call it the ‘middleman’, so that is why I know for a fact that the
farmers will not sell at that high price at the farmers’ market, but at least they will get a better
price and the cost will not be high.”