Georgetown: Guyana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Panama for collaboration in the development of agriculture and trade between the two countries, one an agriculture giant in Caricom, and the other a trade and economic hub in Central America.
The MoU includes close collaboration in building the potential of the rice industries of both countries.
According to Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, one of the first outcomes from the MoU is that Guyana on August 14 signed contracts with the Panama Government to supply rice on a monthly basis for the rest of 2014.
Partnership
The MoU is intended to facilitate a partnership between the two countries for scientists and agricultural research institutions to work collaboratively to enhance agriculture and trade between the countries and with other Caricom and Central American countries.
The areas identified for the collaboration include, but are not limited to, rice, fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, fish and other areas related to agriculture.
The activities and programmes of cooperation will be achieved through exchange of delegations of experts, scientists and technicians, seed crops and animal breeds, information and technical documents, trade in agricultural products, joint organisation of technical seminars, workshops and conferences, coordination of research projects of interest to both countries, among others.
Dr Ramsammy said the MoU gives effect to the intention of President Donald Ramotar and President Juan Carlos Varela of Panama to develop stronger ties between Guyana and Panama and between Caricom and Central America.
The two leaders met as Presidents for the first time in Colombia on Wednesday last (August 6). President Varela was sworn in as President of Panama on July 2.
Trade in rice
As a consequence of the meeting in Colombia between the two Presidents, a team led by Dr Ramsammy, Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) General Manager Jagnarine Singh and Rice producers Association General Secretary Dharamkumar Seeraj, concluded successful meetings with officials of the Government of Panama that resulted in Guyana being given meaningful access to the Panamanian market.
The Agriculture Ministry team was able to secure a contract that will see a monthly export of about 5,000 tonnes per month, beginning in September and taking the contract period to the end of 2014. New contracts for 2015 are to be negotiated on satisfactory conclusion of these initial contracts.
The contracts to export rice to Panama in September and monthly to the end of 2014 were signed at the Office of the Agriculture Minister in Panama City on August 14.
Final terms for the contract were agreed after negotiation between Guyana’s team of Dr Ramsammy, Seeraj and Singh and the team from the Agriculture Ministry of Panama, led by the Vice Minister of Agriculture, Dr Esteban Giron.
The Agriculture Minister of Panama was part of the negotiation of the MoU, but could not be present for the finalisation of the rice contracts because he had to leave for a meeting outside of Panama.
The signing of the new contracts to supply rice to Panama in a Government-to-Government arrangement ensures that Guyana’s rice market continues to expand, even as production has increased significantly.
The Government of Guyana, through the Agriculture Ministry and the GRDB, and in collaboration with the RPA, has been working diligently to expand demand for Guyana’s rice and paddy to overseas markets.
The PPP/C Government has also worked assiduously with the private sector (millers) in Guyana to build the export market.
The Agriculture Ministry, through the GRDB and the RPA on behalf of rice farmers and millers, individually have been working in a collaborative way to ensure Guyana’s rice market expands and keeps pace with the increase in production.
The Government-to-Government deal to supply rice to Panama and the recent successes of several millers to export small quantities of rice into Panama means that Guyana has become a major player in the rice market in that country.
Cost of living
Dr Ramsammy and his team had met with President Varela, the Agriculture Minister of Panama and his team, and the Foreign Affairs Vice Minister over a two-day period (August 13/14) in Panama City.
At the meeting, the President of Panama was very assertive in describing Panama’s commitment to strengthening ties with Guyana and Caricom and the agreement to allow Guyana to be a supplier of rice to Panama is a concrete example of how south-south cooperation can be accelerated.
He expressed his determination to ensure that the people of Panama are able to access food at an affordable price and he sees the agreement between his Government and the Government of Guyana as one way to keep his commitment to the people of Panama to lower the cost of living.
Dr Ramsammy expressed gratitude for the vigorous effort of President Ramotar in meeting with and making the issue of rice a priority in the meeting with President Varela. President Ramotar has made the issue of rice exports an important part of his international engagement.
Minister Ramsammy also expressed gratitude to Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who has been a steadfast partner in the extensive trade negotiations occurring with various partners in the world.
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