Dear Editor,
In a recent interview His Excellency President Irfaan Ali stated that he wanted Guyana to be the most powerful food producer in the world in 10 to 20 years. After being in office from 1992 to today, with a brief five-year hiatus, the president’s prediction is at best fanciful. Since 2020 the present government has had available to them, large sums never before available to any government. If his excellency’s prediction is to be taken seriously, the movement to this powerful food production ought to be noticeable now.
Fruits are a vital component of food production and I took the opportunity to do a survey in the markets in Georgetown, and found that the majority of fruits we know are now imported, believe it or not. These include avocados, bananas and even mangoes. I recall on a visit to the Essequibo coast, in the 1960s, youngsters were playing cricket with mangoes as balls. Today, mango season was a brief three to four weeks. Genip same story, guavas same story, the shortfall is made up with imports. Papayas, watermelons, sapodillas same story. The president should have the situation of local food production checked by a reliable, independent person or source. Further those advising him to make his fanciful statements, should be cashiered and sent packing immediately.