From the crunch of a fresh cucumber to the sweetness of a glass of passion fruit juice, agriculture touches every Guyanese home. But did you know that behind every healthy vegetable and every refreshing sip of juice, standards can play a critical role in ensuring safety, quality, and consistency?
This Agriculture Month, celebrated under the theme “Transforming Livelihoods through Agri-Food Systems,” the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) wants to highlight its role in strengthening this backbone sector of Guyana’s economy. By developing and adopting agriculture-related standards, the GNBS helps farmers, agro-processors, and exporters to meet international benchmarks while preserving consumer trust.
Among the many available national standards are the GCP 21 – Code of Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, GCP 25 – Code of Practice for Packaging and Transport of Tropical Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, and GYS 494 – Specification for Fruit and Vegetable Juices and Drinks and Fruit Nectars.
GCP 21 guides hygienic practices in the primary production and packing of fresh fruits and vegetables to ensure they are safe and wholesome for raw consumption. Meanwhile, GCP 25 sets requirements for proper packaging and transport of fruits and vegetables to preserve quality and reduce losses; and finally, GYS 494 outlines quality requirements to guarantee that juices and drinks derived from fruits and vegetables which are produced or traded within CARICOM are fresh, pure, and safe.
These are just a few of over 40 agriculture-related standards available at the GNBS, all designed to improve efficiency, food safety, and competitiveness in the sector. By implementing these standards, local farmers and agro-processors not only guarantee consumer protection but also strengthen Guyana’s export potential.
According to an article written by the News Room on February 17, 2025, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, while speaking at the Guyana Energy Conference & Supply Chain Conference Village, attested to the growth of Guyana’s agriculture sector. Minister Mustapha highlighted the introduction of more than 4,000 new agro-processed products, while traditional crop production continues to expand at an impressive pace.
The GNBS complements this growth by ensuring that the food we grow, process, and export meets the requirements of standards. Whether it is a farmer in Pomeroon, a processor in Linden, or an exporter in Georgetown, standards provide the framework for consistency, safety, quality and success.
As we celebrate Agriculture Month 2025 under this momentum of growth and innovation, the GNBS remains committed to supporting sustainable agriculture through standards that improve farm and processing practices, preserve consumer health, and open doors to regional and international markets.
For more information on agriculture-related standards, contact the GNBS at 219-0062-66, WhatsApp 692-4627, or visit www.gnbsgy.org.
