Georgetown: The Nand Persaud Group of Companies (NPGC), one of Guyana’s leading Rice Manufacturers/ Exporters, on Thursday, November 30, delved further into unchartered waters when it signed a $40 million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Guyana to construct a soil testing facility at the University Tain, Corentyne, Berbice Campus
Singing on behalf of NPGC, was Chief Executive Officer, Ragindra Persaud while UG’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith signed on behalf of the University. The ceremony was conducted at the tenth session of Turkeyen and Tain talks held at the Pegasus Hotel.
Chief Executive Officer, Ragindra Persaud, disclosed that when completed the facility will provide farmers with advance information that will reduce the cost of production, increase the yields and boost environmental risk management. “The farmers will know exactly what to apply and to what amount,” Persaud explained
According to Persaud, studies have proven that the use of soil testing has become widely accepted by farmers and industries internationally.
“Research has provided farmers with appropriate fertiliser use such as recommendations for nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and limestone. It also allows for determining the micro-nutrient requirements of the crop.”
The CEO further added that the project is crucial to the sector because farmers are employing various methods in an unscientific manner which is negatively affecting the cost and their yields; particularly at a time when the demand for rice has increased and will continue.
He drew reference to the Cuban and Mexican markets rice markets which were recently clinched by Guyana. Persaud stated that those two countries import some one million tons of rice annually. Guyana on the other hand only exports 500,000 tons annually.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith, was in full support of the deal as he called on more corporate and international organisations to partner with the university to initiate similar undertakings.
The NPGC is well known for its signature ‘Karibee’ Rice brand and has a number of subsidiaries which includes its Milling Complex at No. 36 Village, a retail/wholesale outlet at Corriverton, Blue Sky Tech outlet at Tain and in Demerara, Amazonia Rice outlet at Black Bush Polder, NPG Packaging and Plastic Inc. at Wellington Park, its Agricultural and Machinery Department at No 36 and its International Communication Inc. at Tain, Berbice.
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