Amazon Caribbean Ltd. to invest US$2M in development of organic farm

Amazon Caribbean Guyana Ltd, better known as AMCAR will be investing US$2M in developing a 500-acre organic farm for açaí and pineapples, mangoes, watermelons and papaws which it will be processing for export. The project will be undertaken in Berbice.

Support is being provided by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).

The company will be processing and bottling the mixed fruits (pineapples, mangoes, watermelons and papaws) for export.

According to NAREI, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute, Dr. Oudho Homenauth and a team recently met with AMCAR Projects Manager, Mr. J. Denys Bourque. It was stated that AMCAR is seeking the Institute’s expertise, advice and technical assistance on a variety of items including the selection of cultivars, the availability and supply of planting materials of different varieties of the selected fruits, soil improvement and water management and organic farming practices.

Dr. Homenauth has confirmed NAREI’s readiness to closely support the company in this newest venture.

As part of this collaboration, the Institute would provide advice and collect data on land preparation, pest management using neem (Azadirachtaindica), a tree reputed for its insecticidal properties, organic fertilisation using compost, recedia and nitrogen-fixing trees, among which Glericidiasepium and yields.

NAREI’s support will be an additional benefit to the company in the organic certification process.

For the first phase of the venture, which is underway, the company is developing 100 acres of land 30 kmupriver from Rosignol, Region Five.

Amazon Caribbean Guyana Ltd was founded in 1987. It operates a second factory in Barima-Waini, where it is processing organic heart of palm, also for export.

In total, the company provides sustainable livelihood opportunities to some 1500 persons from various communities in the areas in which it operates, NAREI said.