Last Friday, technical experts from Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago participated in a bilateral meeting to discuss issues affecting market access related to the export of agricultural products from Guyana to Trinidad and Tobago.
The meeting, held at the Headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries of Trinidad and Tobago, was convened following reports of Guyanese exporters facing difficulties when exporting products to Trinidad and Tobago.
They discussed challenges in exporting fresh agricultural products, the trans-shipment of honey, the ban on the export of poultry meat from Guyana, trade-in equine, and the revision of the Trinidad and Tobago/Guyana Fresh Agricultural Produce and Forest Products Trade Protocol (2009). Both countries have agreed to find resolutions to the issues discussed.
The Guyanese delegation was led by High Commissioner of Guyana to Trinidad and Tobago, His Excellency Bishwaishwar Ramsaroop-Maraj and included senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, the New Guyana Marketing Corporation, Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).
The Delegation from the Trinidad and Tobago was led by Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator Avinash Singh and was supported by senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) also participated in this Meeting as a third party, in its capacity as the regional Agency mandated to deal with Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) matters.
