Namdevco offers storage for farm produce

In order to prevent farmers’ produce being wasted, the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (Namdevco) will provide chiller and cold storage space for them.

This initiative comes after farmers made several calls for the Government to step in to help get their produce off their hands.

In an interview, a Warrenville farmer, Richard Singh said while the move by Namdevco is a good idea, farmers are now worried that the produce will not meet the consumers fast enough and the cold storage will full faster than usual.

"When this happens what they expect us to do? Right now farmers need to harvest their corn and storage cannot pick it up.

"My recommendation is that, through Namdevco, the government can buy the goods from the farmers and set up mini-markets in the different villages. In this way the goods will go directly to the consumers."

He said at the moment, consumers are hardly going to the supermarkets far less for the markets.

Singh said if the markets are set-up in communities, both the consumers and farmers can benefit.

President of the Supermarket Association Rajiv Diptee said the association has been in contact with Namdevco’s CEO, Nirmalla Debysingh-Persad, on the amount of produce dumped by farmers since the closure of the food service sector, including restaurants and food outlets, under covid19 restrictions.

Only supermarkets and markets are allowed to open.

Diptee said some farmers have already started contacting supermarkets in Mayaro and have taken up the Namdevco initiative.

“Right now, I think even if you tell people they are getting produce for $1, they might not want to go to the market to get it, because they don’t know what quality assurance they will be getting. All these (things) are contributing to the situation at the moment.

"We have already been in contact with some of the food chain suppliers and manufacturers because some of the produce has a very short shelf life,” Diptee said.

In a release on Monday, Namdevco said the company can store in safe and sanitary conditions the excess supply of vegetables and fruits farmers may have so that they can continue to make them available to the public.

Namdevco said after discussions with farmers, a few have already used the service.

“It is available immediately at no cost to farmers at the Piarco Packinghouse and farmers can call 669-7092 / 669-7093 to schedule delivery of produce for storage.

“Other arrangements in the key farming areas would be advised. To access the Piarco facility, all produce must be washed and sanitised prior to storage.”

In addition, Namdevco said farmers who would like support to find buyers can contact the company’s marketing department at 485-1103.