In our Friday June 25th issue the Stabroek Business published a story (“Mahaica River cattle farmer flirting with local Paneer market” in which we related the story of Flora Gardens, Mahaica River cattle farmer Mohan Singh, who, from all appearances, has made a pleasing entry into the local Paneer Cheese market.
A notable omission from the story is the role which the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) has played in the concept-to-market journey of the product and which Mr. Singh has since detailed to the Stabroek Business.
While his involvement with the production of Paneer Cheese predated his relationship with the GMC, his interaction with the state agency arose out of a directive from the Ministry of Agriculture that Mr. Singh receive the support of the agency’s Agribusiness and Marketing Department in the matter of securing markets for cows’ milk. It was with the encouragement of the GMC that Mr. Singh undertook a more serious venture into
In 2020 the Ministry of Agriculture reportedly contacted the Guyana Marketing Corporation asking its officers to assist Mr. Mohan Sing with finding markets for his cow’s milk. The Agri-business Development Unit and the Marketing Department intervened and encouraged Mr. Singh to get into agro-processing.
Mr. Singh was already producing Paneer, but on a small scale for home use, and after recognizing that a market exists for Paneer, GMC advised Mr. Singh to make and sell Paneer on a commercial scale.
The Stabroek Business understands that since that time the GMC’s Agri-business and Marketing Departments have been work in closely with Mr. Singh, supporting his efforts to secure the requisite credentials including Food & Drugs authority, Food Handlers’ Certificate and Business Registration.
In the curse of the Stabroek Business’ interaction over the years we have provided coverage of the public activities of this agency, including the various forms of
support which the agency has afforded farmers and agro processors through both its training and advisory initiatives as well as through the marketing service which it has afforded by way of the Guyana Shop and through its staging of Farmers’ Markets.
The Stabroek Business continues to make a public service contribution to the work of the GMC through the publication of its fruits and vegetables’ Market Prices.
