The Ministry of Agriculture has announced stringent measures to tackle the issue of overcharging for agricultural produce in local markets.
Agriculture Minister, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, emphasized that the problem lies with middlemen who are profiting from increased prices.
Minister Mustapha clarified that it is not the cash crop farmers who are raising their prices, but rather the intermediaries who purchase from them.
These middlemen are then selling the produce at significantly higher rates. The Ministry is working in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) to implement best practices, ensuring crops are properly managed during heatwaves and receive adequate irrigation.
To address the issue, the Ministry aims to re-establish farmers’ markets across the country. These markets will provide cash crop farmers with fair prices for their produce, ultimately curbing price inflation by middlemen.
Consumers are encouraged to visit the Guyana Marketing Corporation on Robb Street for competitive prices on fresh produce and value-added products.