Agro Processors want a ‘leg up’ from Min of Agri’s multibillion $$ budget

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

With local Agro Processors having reportedly created 130 new agro processed products last year, comments elicited by the Stabroek Business from Agro Processors in Regions Four, Five, Six and Ten suggest that the sector is looking to the Ministry of Agriculture to allocate a generous portion of its multi-billion dollar 2024 budget allocation to facilitate continued growth in the sector. Two Agro Agro-processors located in Region Four advocated that the number of major opportunities for the local marketing of agro-processed commodities be increased, with one of the two recommending that government fund at least two ‘product exposure’ trips in parts of the Caribbean for ‘packages’ of agro produce created by groups from across the country. Both suggested that the Agro Processors selected for intra-regional product promotion events be rotated.