Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha noted that the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) will now collaborate with the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) to provide marketing assistance.
“GMC will provide some marketing assistance too because we have been targeting single parents and females especially. We are hoping that we can have more of these people take part in the project because this has been providing valuable help in terms of their income. We are seeing more income generation from these vulnerable groups now,” Minister Mustapha noted
He noted that the project is a valuable one and will continue to expand on it and make a difference in people’s lives.
The minister said that the programme will be replicated in the regions to produce roses there.
“We have increased the number of roses that we have been producing. I’m hoping that we can expand it more in the new year. For example, we will put more shade houses in that area so that we can provide them right across the country. Mostly you see people from the urban area coming to purchase roses here …we will look in the future to expand our cultivation,” Minister Mustapha stated.
DPI, earlier this year, reported that the project, which was conceptualized to create employment for single parents continues to make significant progress and has earned over $4 million for the first half of 2023.
NAREI sells the roses for 500 dollars and they could be resold at up to 2500 dollars.
Minister Mustapha said the success of the ‘Cut Rose’ project shows that Guyana has the potential to embark on new crops.
He noted the success of the Corn and Soya Bean project and other high-value crops like lettuce, cauliflower and other crops. He noted that Guyana is taking a lead in agriculture in the Caribbean and as Guyana succeeds in these projects other countries in the region will follow suit. (Extracted and modified from the Department of Public Information)
