On the occasion of local meat month, which ends in a few days, we met Jean Ringuet, one of our local producers. The latter is organizing, this Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Great Meat Fair at his Matiti farm, located at PK 44 on the Matiti road.
Every year, November is a key time in Guyana to promote local meat. The French Livestock and Meat Association (INTERVIG) organizes various events to promote products from local agriculture. On this occasion, we met Jean Ringuet, a passionate breeder who embodies this approach by offering quality products while facing the challenges of agriculture in Guyana.
Jean Ringuet is at the head of the Matiti family farm and proudly carries the legacy of his father and grandfather. “I was raised in agriculture by my parents,” he confides. Its 300 hectare farm, a true production center, combines breeding, processing, butchery sales and market gardening. Jean raises around 150 pigs, 180 cattle and 30,000 laying hens, while growing tubers, eggplants, pineapples, tomatoes and many other products.
Despite the passion and commitment he puts into his work, Jean emphasizes that local meat production remains insufficient for a rapidly expanding department. “ After Covid, when I saw the queues in the stores, I told myself that the first thing I had to do was feed myself and my family. It was my priority“, he says. To do this, he diversified his crops, but agriculture in Guyana remains faced with several difficulties.
Raw materials that come from far away
The main difficulty encountered by Jean Ringuet lies in the lack of raw materials to feed his animals. “ Agriculture was originally poorly thought out. When you don't have the resources to feed your animals, you can't develop your breeding“, he explains. To meet the needs of his livestock, Jean must bring containers of food from France. He also deplores the lack of collaboration with neighboring countries like Brazil, one of the largest agricultural producers in the world. “ We can't even get supplies from them, everything goes through France. This system is not designed to allow us to develop, but rather to keep us under control“, he continues.
Today, Guyana only produces 20% of the meat consumed locally, although it would be possible to do much better with more resources and autonomy. However, Jean is delighted with the success of his activity in other areas, notably egg production, where Guyana almost entirely covers its local needs.
Good products from us
To showcase his products, Jean Ringuet opens his butcher shop every Saturday. Located at the entrance to his farm, the Nou Péyi butcher's shop has existed for almost nine years. In its windows, you can find pork, beef, lamb, poultry of all kinds, as well as cold meats.
Asked about the cost of local meat compared to imported meat, Jean explains: “ It depends on the markets, but the advantage is that we know the origin of the products. Quality may indeed cost a little more, but we really need to start thinking about our food independence. » It is with this in mind that he is organizing, on November 30, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Great Meat Fair, at his Matiti farm, at PK 44 on the Matiti road. An event not to be missed to discover local products and support Guyanese agriculture.
Jean Ringuet embodies the hope of a more autonomous Guyana, where local production would be valued at its fair value. For him, food independence is a priority and a real fight for the future of the region.
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