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DDL needs two million lbs of fruits to operationalise expanded TOPCO project

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AS Demerara Distillers Limited’s (DDL’s) TOPCO multi-billion expansion project take effect, some 40 farmers who currently supply fruit to juice operations at the entity, are eager to increase their cultivation of required fruit to meet the company’s ability to in turn increase its supply of a range of juices for local consumption and for export.

According to a release, the farmers met on Friday with officials of DDL and representatives of a number of agencies including the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) and the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED), to discuss issues which would help ensure that they successfully expand their cultivation.

This included assistance with the provision of agriculture extension services which would deal with cultivation best practices, soil testing, treatment of infestation and advice on measures to reduce post-harvest losses.

TOPCO has embarked on a multi-billion-dollar expansion project which would initially require over two million pounds of fruit annually.
The issue of pricing for their fruit was also raised and DDL’s chairman, Komal Samaroo, informed the farmers that another price increase will be effective in February 2020, one year following the last price increase.

Samaroo also advised the farmers that arrangements would be put in place to ensure they are paid within three days of their supply of fruit. He said that payments would be made electronically to farmers’ bank accounts.

“This is a serious partnership between TOPCO and you the farmers. Arrangements are for the guaranteed purchase of your fruit at a guaranteed price. So, when the market price goes down you will still be receiving the price upon which we agreed. This is a contract between you and us. We need each other and must address all the issues that will make this partnership mutually successful,” Samaroo told the farmers at the meeting held at Diamond.

According to the release, farmers from as far as the Pomeroon were among those participating in the meeting and tour of the expansion project.

The farmers also heard presentations by Ms. Rebecca Rampher-Adams, TOPCO plant manager, Benjamin Frank of NAREI and Kaimlall Chattergoon of IPED and engaged in lively question and answer sessions following each presentation.

Rampher-Adams, in her presentation, emphasised the critical importance of quality, pointing out that the fruit supplied must be ripe, must be free of any pests, worms and insects that could cause contamination, must be free of dirt and animal dung and the crates, bags and containers used to transport the fruit must be clean.
She also advised that a number of agencies will provide technical advice and assistance to help ensure these standards are met.

The farmers identified the need for specific assistance in dealing with the carambola fruit fly which, according to some farmers, the solution implemented by NARI has not been effective. Frank indicated that the problem might be with the application of the material provided to deal with the problem and it was agreed that this issue will be immediately followed up to ensure a successful solution.

Chattergoon outlined the services from which farmers could benefit from IPED. These include the development of business plans, financial management and loans which are not subject to the credit ratings of the farmers.

Friday’s meeting and tour of the expansion works followed one by representatives of a number of related government agencies recently and a meeting last week with Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, who was updated on the progress of the project which will include the production of pasteurised milk.

The new TOPCO plant is expected to be commissioned in July 2020.

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Prashad posted:

If DDL was long term thinking then they should have purchased Rose Hall estate. The common law brand name alone "Rosehall Estate" is worth something.

I’m surprised to hear this from DDL when they did not put themselves in the mix regarding the estates.  But I don’t know the details!

Baseman
Billy Ram Balgobin posted:

It's time to build a world class zoo in Berbice.  It will create jobs and bring much needed revenue for the county.

 

It takes alot of money to feed animals. A lion can eat 30 pounds of meat per day.

Prashad
Prashad posted:
Billy Ram Balgobin posted:

It's time to build a world class zoo in Berbice.  It will create jobs and bring much needed revenue for the county.

 

It takes alot of money to feed animals. A lion can eat 30 pounds of meat per day.

Prior to me leaving Guyana in 1987, the animals in the zoo were all starving too. Another PNC legacy.

FM
ksazma posted:

Those farmers are more interested in supplying green groceries in Richmond Hill and Toronto than DDL.

If they can do that at FDA standards, then ramping up to supply local industrial needs should be a breeze!

Baseman
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:

Those farmers are more interested in supplying green groceries in Richmond Hill and Toronto than DDL.

If they can do that at FDA standards, then ramping up to supply local industrial needs should be a breeze!

Fruits sold in Richmond Hill duz pass FDA regulations? 😀

FM

If this project is PNC control it will definitely  fail.

You know what happened when the PNC tried to plant black eye peas and beans on rice lands at Mahaicony?  They may as well  plant Katahar.

Electronic transfer of payments to the farmers bank accounts  is a trend of the PNC to rob you blindly.

 

R
Ramakant-P posted:

If this project is PNC control it will definitely  fail.

You know what happened when the PNC tried to plant black eye peas and beans on rice lands at Mahaicony?  They may as well  plant Katahar.

Electronic transfer of payments to the farmers bank accounts  is a trend of the PNC to rob you blindly.

 

Govt should not be intimately involved. The government should offer breaks and incentives to help private industry get it going. However, leave the commercial decisions to the Business parties themselves!

Baseman
ksazma posted:
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:

Those farmers are more interested in supplying green groceries in Richmond Hill and Toronto than DDL.

If they can do that at FDA standards, then ramping up to supply local industrial needs should be a breeze!

Fruits sold in Richmond Hill duz pass FDA regulations? 😀

Anything offered for human consumption in the US comes under FDA regulation!  Guyana producers have to qualify FDA before they are granted a license to sell into the US!

Baseman
ksazma posted:
Prashad posted:
Billy Ram Balgobin posted:

It's time to build a world class zoo in Berbice.  It will create jobs and bring much needed revenue for the county.

 

It takes alot of money to feed animals. A lion can eat 30 pounds of meat per day.

Prior to me leaving Guyana in 1987, the animals in the zoo were all starving too. Another PNC legacy.

A touring lion company was traveling from Los Angeles to Canada about 12 years ago.  They brought all their meat from America.  They had about 8 lions.  30 pounds of meat per lion for a month.  They were told by the Canadian customs officers that they could not bring the meat into Canada.  So they had to stop at farms along their route to order meat from farmers who would then drop off the meat later to the cities where they were performing with the lions.  The Georgetown zoo took any meat that was killed on the road to feed its lion. They would send a van to pick up the meat. Also any dead animals could be picked up by the zoo for their lion. 

Prashad
ksazma posted:

Those farmers are more interested in supplying green groceries in Richmond Hill and Toronto than DDL.

Bai, we does get the best of Guyana here in Ontario. No need to travel to Guyana for fruits and vegetables. A little bit more expensive but worth every penny. 

FM
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:

Those farmers are more interested in supplying green groceries in Richmond Hill and Toronto than DDL.

If they can do that at FDA standards, then ramping up to supply local industrial needs should be a breeze!

Fruits sold in Richmond Hill duz pass FDA regulations? 😀

Anything offered for human consumption in the US comes under FDA regulation!  Guyana producers have to qualify FDA before they are granted a license to sell into the US!

How come the government didn’t know that the Chinese was selling we crapoad fuh chicken? 😀

FM

When I was in Richmond Hill last year I saw an East Indian man selling Genip on the sidewalk so I stop to buy some Genip only to find out that the man is not from Guyana but from Guatemala.  He selling Genip to Guyanese.

Prashad
ksazma posted:
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:

Those farmers are more interested in supplying green groceries in Richmond Hill and Toronto than DDL.

If they can do that at FDA standards, then ramping up to supply local industrial needs should be a breeze!

Fruits sold in Richmond Hill duz pass FDA regulations? 😀

Anything offered for human consumption in the US comes under FDA regulation!  Guyana producers have to qualify FDA before they are granted a license to sell into the US!

How come the government didn’t know that the Chinese was selling we crapoad fuh chicken? 😀

Which government?

Baseman
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:

Those farmers are more interested in supplying green groceries in Richmond Hill and Toronto than DDL.

If they can do that at FDA standards, then ramping up to supply local industrial needs should be a breeze!

Fruits sold in Richmond Hill duz pass FDA regulations? 😀

Anything offered for human consumption in the US comes under FDA regulation!  Guyana producers have to qualify FDA before they are granted a license to sell into the US!

How come the government didn’t know that the Chinese was selling we crapoad fuh chicken? 😀

Which government?

Trump government 😀

FM
Prashad posted:

When I was in Richmond Hill last year I saw an East Indian man selling Genip on the sidewalk so I stop to buy some Genip only to find out that the man is not from Guyana but from Guatemala.  He selling Genip to Guyanese.

Everyone selks genip in Miami 😀

FM
ksazma posted:
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:

Fruits sold in Richmond Hill duz pass FDA regulations? 😀

Anything offered for human consumption in the US comes under FDA regulation!  Guyana producers have to qualify FDA before they are granted a license to sell into the US!

How come the government didn’t know that the Chinese was selling we crapoad fuh chicken? 😀

Which government?

Trump government 😀

bai, FDA is a federal institution, not White House!  However, once a license is granted, people do violate the rules! How many get a driver’s lic and go out and do shyte!

In the 90s I was fed cat 🐈 at a Chinese restaurant in New Brunswick!  It was state certified and should not serve cat, but they did!

Wasnt Gilbaka from Guyana banned?

Baseman
Sean posted:
ksazma posted:

Those farmers are more interested in supplying green groceries in Richmond Hill and Toronto than DDL.

Bai, we does get the best of Guyana here in Ontario. No need to travel to Guyana for fruits and vegetables. A little bit more expensive but worth every penny. 

Not the same.  Very different taste from the food in Guyana.

Bibi Haniffa

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