GMC urges hotels, businesses to promote local products

By Bibi Khatoon

The Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) plans to collaborate with hoteliers and others businesses to promote local products.

It was only last week that concerns were raised in relation to foreign products being used and on display at the hotel, where the Private Sector Commission held its two-day business summit.

However, during an interview with the News Room at the GMC’s open day on Friday, General Manager of the Corporation, Ida Sealey-Adams said the Corporation is working to strengthen its relationship with the private sector.

She said some persons are already onboard but there needs to be “more proprietors of retail outlets, proprietors of hotels—they can use the opportunity to have a true relationship with Guyana shop…to have products stocked and sold at their respective locations.”

The Guyana shop serves as a facilitator between farmers and retailers. By extension, the GMC provides farmers with the tools including the use of their packaging facility, crates, refrigerator trucks and containers, and technical assistance to ensure products are of a certain standard for public consumption and export. This also helps to increase sales.

Sealey-Adams disclosed that commodities which see significant export are coconut and coconut products. “Dry coconuts, bottled coconut water, copra, crude coconut oil…it’s the highest for the non-traditional commodities…the largest export market is the Dominican Republic for the dried coconuts,” she disclosed.

“Dry coconuts, bottled coconut water, copra, crude coconut oil…it’s the highest for the non-traditional commodities…the largest export market is the Dominican Republic for the dried coconuts,” she disclosed.

However, she urged that more is done for other non-traditional products to be exported in large amounts—whether raw or value added. At its open day, the GMC provided data for current and prospective agro-processors on its services.

“They have a business idea they want to come in and basically understand what is required of them to move from that stage to actually have their business enterprise be a reality and come to fruition. We are also targeting prospective and current exporters,” Sealey-Adams said.

The Open Day was hosted as part of Agriculture Month activities which is being observed under the theme “Food Security and Hinterland Development – Our National Priority.”