2014
Guyana Marketing Corporation: Annual Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2014, the Guyana Marketing Corporation worked assiduously to coordinate and facilitate the development and marketing of quality non-traditional agricultural produce and products. The corporation‟s activities were tailored to achieve the strategic objectives outlined in the National Agriculture Strategy 2013 - 2020, the Services Agreement and GMC‟s Strategic Plan. In so doing, there was specific focus on the promotion of the consumption of locally manufactured commodities. The corporation, through its Guyana Shop was able to host several promotional events at its Robb Street Location. The Guyana Shop was also launched in Regions 2 and 6, in a bid to ensure that locally produced commodities are available across the country. Additionally, there was the first ever Agroprocessors Forum which is slated to be an Annual Event. This activity was used as the basis for commencing the development of a road map for the agro-processing industry. As the corporation continued to promote the use of local commodities, there were several other promotional activities such as the Agro-Processors Fair and the Agri-business Fair. The corporation also made representation at national and international trade fairs and exhibitions throughout the country such as Linden Expo, Essequibo Nights, Berbice Expo, International Food and Drinks Festival and Caribbean Week of Agriculture. Export Promotion is also a key function of the Guyana Marketing Corporation. So much so, the corporation has been directly involved in facilitating and promoting the export of both fresh and processed commodities through the creation of market linkages. In 2014, non-traditional exports totaled 13,922 MT valued at G$1.9 Billion or US$9.5 Million, representing a 10% increase from the 12,701 MT exported in 2013. The GMC also continued to facilitate the packaging of produce for export through the provision of its two packaging facilities to exporters. In 2014, there were 360 MT of produce prepared at the Central Packaging Facility (CPF) while 226 MT of produce were prepared at the Parika Agro Packaging Facility (PAPF). Additionally, the Marketing Information Centre maintained its export brokerage service and prepared three hundred and sixty eight (368) export documents. The centre also continued to facilitate the completion of the US Food and Drug Department Registration for exporters desirous of sending food products to the | Executive Summary
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