Packaging Facilities

A section of our packaging facility

Central Packaging Facility and Parika Agro-Packaging Facility are the only two approved packaging facilities for fruits and vegetables in Guyana. These Packaging Houses facilitate the processing of fresh fruits and vegetables to Barbados, Antigua, Trinidad, and St. Lucia, as clearly stipulated by the Protocols established between Guyana and these countries.

LOCATIONS

1. Central Packaging Facility

• National Exhibition Complex,Sophia
• Tel.: 219-0085

2. Parika Agro Packaging Facility

• Mora, Parika (Behind the Neighbourhood Democratic Council Office)
• Tel.:260-4983

OPERATIONS

The facilities were established to ensure traceability and correct monitoring of fruits and vegetables being exported from Guyana. It is important to note that all packaging facilities must adhere to the Standard Sanitation Operating Procedures (SSOP’s) and they must ensure that they make provisions for all workers, in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) for Conduct, Hygiene, and other Regulations for Packaging Facility Workers.

• The facilities are opened daily at the request of the exporters
• The facilities are  geared with equipment  used for washing, drying  and sanitizing, cooling (cold storage and refrigerated trucks)
• Priority for the use of the facility is given to exporters to countries that fall under the protocol arrangement i.e. Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad  & Tobago, and Antigua and Barbuda.
• The Parika Agro Packaging Facility has a wharf that can be used by farmers to unload their produce.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE USE OF THE FACILITIES?

• A request form for the use of the facilities can be downloaded here or can be uplifted at the Guyana Marketing Corporation’s Office, located at the Ministry of Agriculture Complex, GUYSUCO Compound, La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara.
• The form is completed by the exporter, who documents the produce he is exporting, the name of the certified farmer he is purchasing from, the source area and the packages he would use.  The completed form is submitted to a Marketing Officer who approves and signs and then the exporter pays a fee for the use of the Facility to the Cashier.

COST

• 20ft Container – $10,000.00
• 40ft Container – $13,500.00
• Air shipment     – $10,000.00

Fees charged are only for use of the Packaging Facilities and do not cover worker costs. Exporters are responsible for hiring and paying their workers.

NOTE: This form must be completed three days in advance or 72 hours before processing time

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

1. An import permit  from the importing country
2. Exporters need to provide their own workers. Food handler’s certificates, a passport size photograph and Police Clearance are required for each worker.