Resilience
In the year 2000, Gerard Mekdeci embarked on a pioneering venture in the intermediate savannahs of Guyana and produced exotic fruits and vegetables on a commercial basis using plastic mulch and drip fertigation – technology never before used in Guyana. At that time no one thought this was possible. This was the start of the ‘Savannah’ brand of fruits and vegetables. This pioneering farmer invested over thirty million Guyana dollars and five challenging but rewarding years of his life to the project.
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he farm, called ‘Kaikotin’ after the adjoining river, ran successfully until 2004, when the steady rise in fuel price and the degradation of the Ituni road began to erode the profits (the farm was located 135 miles from Georgetown). In 2005 the Kaikotin farm was reluctantly closed and entire lease of 2,700 acres was later returned to the Government of Guyana at the request of the then Minister of Agriculture Hon. Robert Persaud.
In 2005 Gerard Mekdeci became the Managing director of J, T, Mekdeci and Co. Ltd. and in the same year began testing greenhouse technology at his home in Georgetown. After 18 months of testing, he gained enough confidence to begin commercial greenhouse production of Lettuce at the company’s headquarters in Water Street, Georgetown. The farm produced 4,000 heads of fresh, packaged lettuce weekly, under the original brand ‘Savannah’. J. T. Mekdeci & Co. Ltd also produced Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Cauliflower & other fresh market fruits & vegetables seasonally.
The company spent forty million dollars creating an international standard Greenhouse hydroponic farm. In 2011 a nematode infestation completely destroyed the farm.
J. T. Mekdeci spent eight months and eight million dollars converting the farm to soil-less hydroponics. One result of the focused effort is that it is now more productive than ever. The farm has seen a 50% increase in yield with an associated 60% drop in water and fertilizer usage.
JTM in the News
June 3, 2009 – $40M City hydroponics investment a success – Agri Minister encourages other farmers to adopt similar ventures (GINA)
June 6, 2008 – Financing, inputs pose challenges (Stabroek News)
April 30, 2004 – Stubborn farmer gets savannah crops to thrive (Stabroek News)
