Guyana proposes to supply high-quality food to Grenada

Last Updated on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, 0:04 by Writer

President Irfaan Ali on Monday told Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell that Guyana was preparing to supply the Caribbean island with agricultural produce.

“We are investing heavily in regional food security and we hope that in the first quarter of next year our two sides can sit down and sign an elaborate bilateral agreement where Guyana can be an important and your most trusted partner in supplying quality, consistent food at consistent prices to Grenada,” he said.

He added that Guyana was investing in the infrastructure, technology and a number of the international players.

Dr Ali made the commitment for a “long-term” food supply agreement at the official opening of Grenada’s Consulate in Guyana.

The President said Guyana was also interested in jointly investing with Grenada in rebuilding the spice industry, including developing the capacity to process and package spices for regional and extra-regional markets.

He hoped that such approaches would trigger other countries’ removal of artificial barriers to trade.

Dr Ali said the major stumbling block was the lack of commitment by a number of countries to amend laws and rules to facilitate free trade.

The Honorary Consul is well-known Guyanese businessman, Komal Singh.

He told a reception to mark the official opening of the consulate, located at the GAICO office on New Market Street between Camp and Thomas streets, that he hoped to stimulate greater interest among Grenadians about opportunities in Guyana.

“My goal is to ensure that Grenadians are more aware and are more involved in these opportunities whether in business, investment, education or cultural exchange. This office will serve as a bridge, a place where connections are made, support is given and the initiatives are built that benefit both Grenada and Guyana,” he said.

Mr Singh, a former chairman of the Private Sector Commission, had personally travelled to Grenada as part of Guyana’s relief efforts following damage and destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl in 2024.

Grenada’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development hoped that the consulate would pave the way for “more deliberate steps” to be taken to extend trade relations between Guyana and Grenada as well as the rest of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Praising Guyana for its “rock hard” support in the aftermath of last year’s hurricane, Mr Mitchell suggested that his government decided to establish a consulate in Guyana because of the beneficial relationship between the two countries.

“All too often, we spend enormous amounts of money establishing embassies and consulates all over the world, often times with countries that have little in common with us or don’t come to our assistance, don’t come to our aid, that doesn’t have the partnership that we need and we ignore our very backyard.

And so, I am indeed honoured that we have taken far more concrete and deliberate steps to ensure that we foster closer diplomatic, political and economic ties on a bilateral level with Guyana,” said the Grenadian PM who visited Guyana a year ago for a GAICO party.

He urged those gathered, including foreign diplomats and business executives, to champion the immense opportunities for economic partnership led by Guyana.

There are direct flights between Guyana and Grenada.

He said the Honorary Consul would be expected to identify challenges and bottlenecks in a “very frontal and direct way” and work towards finding solutions to strengthen economic cooperation with Guyana and the Caribbean nation as the gateway to South America.