PARAMARIBO, Suriname, Nov 6, CMC – Suriname and India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at stimulating small businesses in the fruit processing industry.
The partnership, with an initial investment of one million US dollars for the supply of machinery and technical assistance, offers opportunities for the economic development of Suriname.
Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation Minister, Albert Ramdin, and the Indian Ambassador to the Dutch speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, Subhash Gupta signed the agreement in the presence of Parmanand Sewdien, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV).
In April last year, India’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, announced the initiative during the CARCOM-India Ministerial meeting.
Ramdin praised the rapid preparation of the initiative with Suriname being one of the first countries to make use of the opportunity.
“This is an important milestone in our economic progress and shows our joint commitment to strengthening the agricultural sector. This will allow the potential of Surinamese agricultural products to be maximally utilised,” Ramdin said.
Sewdien said the project will start with a processing unit for markoesa, but is also suitable for other types of fruit such as cherries and papaya.
The government said that the facility will be fully operational within the next three months.
It said that the necessary equipment is currently being shipped, and a technical mission from India has completed the preparations. In collaboration with the Indian NABCONS Consultancy Team, the plans have been further elaborated, with food safety and quality standards as central.
Sewdien said the MoU marks the start of a detailed trajectory for the development of the fruit processing industry, with an initial processing capacity of 1.5 tons of fruit per hour.
He said that the new processing unit will not only enable Suriname to meet domestic demand, but also to explore new market opportunities and that this collaboration offers enormous potential to strengthen the fruit value chain in Suriname.
“By processing the fruit not only into pulp, but also into juice and other end products, we create more added value and increase margins for local producers,” he added.
CMC/jg/ir/2024