A group of diplomats accredited to Guyana recently visited the Moblissa community on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway where they toured the work underway with the establishment of a state-of-the-art dairy farm and joined residents at their annual Christmas party.
The dairy farm, a project of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and the LR Group, an international company, represents an investment of $20 million (US) which will result in the production of high-quality fresh cow’s milk for processing and packaging at DDL’s Topco plant at Diamond, beginning the third quarter of 2025.
At a lunch at the farm hosted by DDL’s executive chairman Mr. Komal Samaroo who is also executive chairman of Demerara Dairies Inc. (DDI), the diplomats hailed the project as transformative for Guyana and the CARICOM region and a driving force for promoting innovation and contributing to efforts at ensuring food in the region.
European Union Ambassador to Guyana Rene van Nes speaking during the visit to Moblissa
The diplomats praised DDL for its vision in investing in the dairy farm and for the detailed planning and effective management in implementing the project.
In her remarks, IDB Resident Representative in Guyana, Ms. Lorena Solórzano Salazar pointed to the importance of ensuring ready market access within CARICOM for the milk and other products that will result from this investment.
“This project is being executed in a way that we can all be proud of, it is a model that can be replicated in other projects. The importance that you place on data on research is admirable. I have seen every element well thought out and we look forward to continued collaboration on this project,” said Ms. Johan David, Agri-Business and Value Chain Specialist, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Mr. Manoj Kumar, First Secretary/Officer in Charge of Commerce, Political and ITEC of the Indian High Commission congratulated DDL on the project as well as its ongoing processing of fruits for juices. He said India is interested in exploring with DDL areas of cooperation in the further development of the agriculture sector in Guyana.
CARICOM Assistant Secretary General for Economic Integration, Innovation and
Development, Mr. Wendell Samuel, who led a four- member team from the Secretariat said that the project has the potential to transform the dairy sector throughout the region.
“We are currently rewriting the industrial policy for the region to ensure a level playing field and this project represents what we should be doing with respect to the industrial policies to facilitate investments such as this. What I see in this project is a whole lot of innovation which will help boost productivity,” he said.
Speaking at the community’s Christmas party the European Union Resident Representative in Guyana Ambassador Rene van Ness said the dairy project’s impact on the community is already being felt and encouraged residents to continue to support the project.
The Christmas party was held in the recently commissioned new Community Center funded by DDL during which the scores of residents serenaded their guests with several Christmas carols.
Speaking on behalf of the residents, Ms. Debbie Todd said that indeed the dairy project has generated a positive feeling among residents who looked forward to electricity coming to the area and the construction of an all-weather road which is needed not only to facilitate the project but residents as well.
The project is funding the installation of electric lines and poles into the farm which will allow for the Linden Electricity Company to provide electricity to the community for the first time.
Accompanying the diplomats along with Mr. Samaroo were Demerara Bank Chief Executive Officer Dowlat Parbhu, IPED Chief Executive Officer Jagdesh Haripershad, DDL Deputy Chief Executive Officer Vasudeo Singh, Rami Ofer of the LR Group and DDL Government Affairs Adviser Wesley Kirton (Demerara Dairy Inc press release)
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