Seven shopping outlets, countrywide have over the past two years opened their doors to local producers.
G&P Jaigobin & Son of Anna Regina, Region Two, L. Bukhan & Son of Hydronie, Region Three, R. Prashad Gas Station & Mart, and Skyline Supermarket of Mon Repos and Guyana Marriot Hotel of Kingston, in Region Four; Spready’s Supermarket of Port Mourant and Rambrich Gas Station and Supermarket of Bengal, Number 41 Village in Region Six are those on board.
The supermarkets, gas stations, minimarts and the hotel are part of a partnership with the new Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), through the Guyana Shop to promote the consumption of locally-made value-added products.
The arrangement with the outlets gives the new GMC, the space, free of cost, and follows two models. General Manager, GMC, Ida Sealey-Adams told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that in the first model, GMC has been able to work with the larger outlets, to get free of cost, “an entire corner or portion of the shop” allotted for local produce.
General Manager, New Guyana Marketing Corporation, Ida Sealey-Adams
“We call that the Guyana Shop corner… and with that arrangement, the Guyana Marketing Corporation supplies the respective supermarket with the commodities that the supermarket requests,” the GM said. “In other words they would give us from time to time, the quantities and type of commodities that they want us to supply them,” Sealey-Adams added.
The second model is for the smaller shopping outlets, with limited shelf spaces. Sealey-Adams explained that the organisation is using this model in its collaboration with the Marriot Hotel. “They do not have the space…so we supply them with the gondola and also the local products and it is sold at the location,” the GM explained.
Sealey-Adams also explained that for those agro-producers, who are supplying the respective shopping outlets, on their own, the GMC has also been encouraging them to have their product shelf in the Guyana Shop assigned area in the outlets. The GM explained, “That’s our role to promote all of the local manufacturers.”
Further, Sealey-Adams noted that “it augurs well when all the products are at one location, so you will find in these supermarkets, Guyana shop products which are supplied by Guyana Marketing Corporation, in addition to other agro-processors, who have the resources and who are supplying the respective supermarket,”Sealey-Adams said.
