What is Guyana Marketing Corporation? Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) is the agency of the Ministry of Agriculture that provides marketing services to stakeholders in the non-traditional agricultural sector. It is their hope that you find it a useful resource for doing business with and from Guyana, in the non-traditional agricultural sector: fresh fruits & vegetables and processed agricultural products. To farmers, agro-processors, exporters and other agri-business investors, they also hope that you find GMC’s website as a useful resource for information on proper post-harvest handling, packaging, marketing and exporting.
About Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC)
GMC is a government corporation established under section 46 of the Public Corporations Act, Cap 19:05 of the Laws of Guyana that has been working assiduously over the years to promote the cultivation and export of Guyana’s non-traditional agricultural crops to Regional and Extra-Regional markets.
GMC is sometimes referred to as the “New” Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC). This is because in 1985 the policy of the Guyana Marketing Corporation was changed. There was a total cessation of all buying and selling operations, and a mandate to provide market facilitation services to the private sector for the export of non-traditional agricultural produce, facilitate local market development, develop and disseminate post-harvest technology, conduct market research and provide market intelligence services to farmers was adopted.
In 1999, to compliment the efforts of creating a greater awareness for Guyanese products, GMC launched a “Made in Guyana, Grown in Guyana” campaign. This campaign was taken to all parts of Guyana and the highlight of the campaign were the “Guyana Nights” that were held in various regions. Immediately following this campaign, the corporation attended/organized the Guyana Trade & Investment Trade Shows that were held in many countries of the Caribbean and North America. The attendance/organizing to/of these trade shows created greater awareness and interest in non-traditional agricultural products from Guyana.
In 2001, to further enhance its services to farmers and exporters, the corporation established the Central Packaging Facility – Sophia to prepare produce for export.
In 2008, the Parika Agro-Packaging Facility was established for the same purpose. Apart from these activities, GMC is also charged with the responsibility of providing Marketing Services for the development of the non-traditional agricultural sector. GMC also provides exporters of non-traditional agricultural products with marketing advice, assistance for sourcing supplies, harvesting, cleaning, packaging and facilitating logistical arrangements for exports.
Did You Know? GMC’s mission statement is: “Facilitating and coordinating the development of quality non-traditional agricultural produce for export.”
Departments Of Guyana Marketing Corporation
The GMC comprises of the following departments:
- Administrative and Finance
- Marketing and Business Development:
o Market Information Centre – Advisory; Agri-Business Development; Brokerage; Crop Reporting; Market Analysis; Market Extension; Promotion.
o Packaging Facilities – Central Packaging Facility; Parika Agro-Packaging Facility; Refrigerated (Cold Storage) Facilities; Refrigerated Trucking Service.
o Guyana Shop – Promotes the sale and consumption of locally produced and manufactured non-traditional agricultural produce and products; Supports the development of micro and small agri-businesses.
Services Of Guyana Marketing Corporation
- Advisory – This involves: providing advice and guidance on market requirements; providing advice on market entry requirements; matchmaking – linking buyers with sellers and vice versa; providing advice on label requirements to Agro-Processors; providing pertinent information on local market development; providing guidance on how to process all produce for exportation; providing advice on how to source and secure new markets for local produce; providing guidance on how to promote local produce and products; providing advice on proper post-harvest handling of Crops; providing training to all stallholders.
- Agri-Business Development – This involves: training farmers and farmer groups to develop and sustain markets for their produce; train Agro-Processers to attract new markets and penetrate existing markets for their products; conduct value chain analysis; develop and coordinate linkages among stakeholders of the value chains for Agro- Processed items; assess the marketing opportunities and target markets for agricultural produce and products through Intelligence Gathering of Consumers and Competitors, among others.
- Agricultural Field Crates – Agricultural Field Plastic Crates are the best choice for storing and packing of produce during transportation and storage. These convenient crates are ideal for use by exporters and farmers when transporting fruits and vegetables. The crates help to minimize post-harvest losses thereby extending the shelf life of the produce.
- Brokerage – Guyana Marketing Corporation provides an Export Customs Brokerage Service to all stakeholders.
- Cold Storage Facilities – Guyana Marketing Corporation has cold storage facilities at both of its packaging facilities: Central Packaging Facility-Sophia, and the Parika Agro-Packaging Facility. These facilities are available to farmers and exporters. Cold Storage plays an important role in maintaining marketability, by reducing the rate at which perishable produce deteriorates. This is achieved by reducing the rate of biochemical changes in fresh foods (known as ‘respiration’ and ‘senescence’).
- Market Extension – Guyana Marketing Corporation through its Marketing Officers provides “Marketing Extension Services” to Farmers and Agro-Processors. Marketing officers make regular visits to farms and factories to educate and sensitize both producers and agro-processors. New methods/techniques of farming and the importance of proper post-harvest handling is disseminated to farmers. This is done to maximize the profits of the producer whilst at the same time focusing on lowering the costs of production.
- Packaging Facilities – Central Packaging Facility and Parika Agro-Packaging Facility are the only two approved packaging facilities for fruits and vegetables in Guyana. These Packaging Houses facilitate the processing of fresh fruits and vegetables to Barbados, Antigua, Trinidad and St. Lucia, as clearly stipulated by the Protocols established between Guyana and these countries.
- Promotion – Marketing Officers from Guyana Marketing Corporation organize and participate in many Trade Shows and exhibitions promoting Guyana’s fresh and processed agri-products. A wealth of knowledge exists among the officers with respect to organising and participating in promotional activities. Farmers, exporters and agro-processors can contact Guyana Marketing Corporation for assistance on organising or participating in promotional activities.
- Refrigerated Trucking Service – When produce is harvested from the parent plant, it rapidly undergoes biochemical changes that will speed up the ripening and rate of deterioration, which in turn reduces the shelf life. Hence, it is important to maintain the cold chain (keep the produce as cool as possible), especially when it is being transported. One of the recommended ways to maintain the quality is the use of Refrigerated Trucks.
Location & Contact Information Of GMC
- Address: 87 Robb & Alexander Streets, Georgetown
- Telephone: (592) 226-8255/ 227-1630/ 225- 5429
- Fax: (592) 227-4114
- Email: [email protected]/ [email protected]
- Website: http://www.newgmc.com
Guyana Marketing Corporation
It was said October 18th 2019, “It has been seven years since the Guyana Marketing Corporation’s (GMC) Guyana Shop reopened its doors to the Public and renewed its focus on the continued marketing of local agro-processed products in Guyana. Today, to commemorate this noteworthy milestone, GMC held a formal ceremony at its Robb and Alexander streets location.
Acknowledging that the Guyana Shop is the largest selling agent of local agro-processed products in Guyana, Minister Holder spoke of the new and innovative value-added products developed over the years, many of which are on the shelves in the Guyana Shop today. “These products include wines such as passion fruit wine, peanut and bark wine, peanut wine, boulanger wine among others, flours such as breadfruit and banana flours. There have also been soaps such as coconut oil, moringa soaps and lemon soaps,” Minister Holder explained.
GMC, through the Guyana Shop, has hosted several events to market local products. Some of these events were the Farine Fiesta, a Collaboration with Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs; the Honey Expo; tasting and sampling sessions at three Post Offices, a collaboration with the Guyana Post Office Corporation and flour producers, among others.
Apart from participating in regional trade shows, GMC has also provided support for agro-processors to market their product internationally. The General Manager Mrs. Ida Sealey-Adams concluded on the note that GMC will continue to engage local supermarkets and other retail shops to have local products sold nationwide. Additionally, GMC will continue to lobby to have organizations support local products.
Following the event, Minister Holder participated in the sticking of the cake after which he presented baskets filled with local products to persons who were part of the Guyana Shop’s 7th Anniversary basket giveaway promotion.”
Article References:
- http://www.newgmc.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/guyanamarketingco/
- https://directory.gy/business/3868/Guyana_Marketing_Corporation
