Stubborn farmer gets savannah crops to thrive
By Nicosia Smith
Stabroek News
April 30, 2004
One company has changed the face of agriculture in the intermediate savannahs by successfully growing several non-traditional crops despite being told it could not be done.
G.C. Mekdeci & Co., Ltd., owned by Gerard Mekdeci has confounded the sceptics by proving that broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, sweet-corn, zucchini and even strawberries can not only grow commercially in Guyana but also in the harsh environment of the savannahs.
Mekdeci fell in love with the vast stretches of savannah lands, dotted with clumps of bush and trees since he visited the area at the age of 10 with his brothers.
Eventually he decided to begin any sort of business on his 2,700 acres north of the Tacama Battle School after applying for the land in 1993 and awaiting his lease. The closest village to the Kaikotin Farm is at the confluence of the Wiruni and Berbice Rivers which is six miles by road and six miles by river, from the farm.
Although the heat can be intolerable and when it rains it pours, Mekdeci says he loves the place.
He had plans to do fish farming but was not given a permit to commence the project. According to him, he was told by the authorities that such a project could contaminate the water sources in the area.
It was then that the owners of the neighbouring Dubulay Ranch told him that several non-traditional fruits were being grown in their kitchen garden, leading him to the idea of fruit and vegetable farming.
But, Mekdeci did not gain much support for his idea since the only products successfully grown in the savannahs at the time were beans, oranges and animal feed corn.
"Everybody told me about all of these projects that started and failed...even worse I am not a farmer," he says.
But during his research on the internet he found that the sandy loam in the intermediate savannahs was very suitable for the fruits and vegetables he was planning to grow.
Mekdeci spent six months, 8 hours a day, six days a week researching every element of farming in the savannahs on the internet.
In late 2000 he began preparing the land for what was to be Kaikotin Farm and the necessary infrastructure was put in place to commence trial plots of broccoli, lettuce and cauliflower in 2001.
Two bridges were built, one to the neighbouring ranch where one mile of road was cut to facilitate access to this bridge, and another over the Kaikotin Creek to gain entrance to the farm. Dwellings for the workers were built as well as a troolie roof building where Mekdeci ,his wife or others would sleep under, in outdoor tents - upon their visits to the farm. These buildings still remain.
"The savannahs have potential but it is very, very, very hard work," he says, and warns that a 4x4 is necessary if anyone is going to venture there. Knowledge of electronics, mechanics and welding also comes in handy, he says.
Stabroek Business recently got a first-hand experience of the successful pioneering efforts of this company.
The trial stages
Four acres of land were prepared and designated as the trial plots.
The first 10 sets of seeds planted at the company's Green House in Georgetown died; the next three transplanted on the farm also died.
It took sometime before Mekdeci was able to get the transplanting right, but he did.
The first yield realised by the farm was 50 pounds per acre of broccoli, but no lettuce or cauliflower.
After this very disappointing yield, it was apparent that the crops were thriving on the Ant Hill portion of the farm so pegasse was put in the soil. As a result of this change the yield jumped to 2000 pounds per acre.
The soil takes some 300 tonnes of pegasse per acre; lime is added to change the ph of the soil as well as nitrogen, potassium and magnesium since the soil only has iron. Potassium and magnesium improve the flavour and sugar content of the fruits.
A year was also spent experimenting with different seedling trays before an exact match was found which increased the yield to 4000 pounds per acre.
In the summer of 2003 honeydew melons, cantaloupes, sweetcorns, pasta squash and butternut squash were added to the crops already being planted.
The use of a white on black polyethylene plastic mulch and a carefully controlled fertilizer plan saw the greatest jump in the yield to a whopping 12,000 pounds per acre "from an embarrassing 50 pounds per acre," Mekdeci says.
Using funds gained from the Cariforum Agribusiness Research and Training Fund (CARFT) - a European- funded programme, Mekdeci was able to conduct several soil tests which enabled him to develop an exact measurement of the fertilizer to apply.
"I am very pleased with the progress we have made in [the last] four years," he says, adding that he will continue to improve.
Even though the early days were very trying, Mekdeci told Stabroek Business, "I really enjoy[this work] I enjoy it more than anything I have ever done."
The trials at the farm ended last year and 9 1/2 acres are now being planted. However, fruits and vegetables are still being reaped from the trial plots.
A total of 14 acres was cultivated to begin full commercial planting and experiments are ongoing with carrots and strawberries.
Indra Mekdeci, the farm's marketing manager and the proprietor of 'Just Burgers' also explained that she "... enjoys coming up here(to the savannahs) with [her] husband...[and loves] the outdoosr." 'Just Burgers' operates from the couple's home in Subryanville.
She told Stabroek Business, "wherever thou [go] I will follow," when asked what she thought of accompanying her husband to the savannahs on weekends.
Mulching
The mulching system used at the Kaikotin Farm is not available in Guyana for renting, so Mekdeci secured a $8M equipment refinancing loan to purchase the mulching equipment.
This white on black polyethylene plastic mulch covers the beds and is suitable for planting during hot weather. The white upper surface reflects the sun's energy, while the black underlayer prevents weed growth.
Farming through the mulching system is accomplished through four pieces of mulching equipment.
One is used to form the beds, another to put on the plastic mulch and at the same time hold the plastic in place and kick dirt over the edges of the plastic. A back wheel runs over the dirt to further fasten the plastic while laying the drip tape(these are strips of tube to water the beds). Another piece of equipment takes off the mulch after it is finished using and yet another punches holes into the bed for the workers sitting on the machine to put the seedlings into the holes.
With the plastic mulch, the beds do not easily erode during heavy rainfall; it prevents the fungus that dwells in the soil from getting on the fruits/vegetables and it keeps the soil moist during the heat.
At first it took 20 days to prepare one acre of land, plant the seedlings and put in the drip-irrigation - but with the mulching machines, it takes three hours.
Approximately fifty water tanks - each with a capacity of 400 gallons of water, is filled at the nearby creek from which the farm takes its name.
Additionally two filters are used for the creek water so that tiny particles will not block the small holes on the drip tubes. At full operation the farm utilises 32,000 gallons of water per day.
In order to break-even $600,000 worth of goods per acre must be sold.
"What I grow are very high value items," says Mekdeci, adding that even though his acreage is small he is able to break-even.
For example, 4000 pounds of honeydew melons must be produced per acre at $150 per pound, in order to break-even and the company is able to exceed this amount, he says.
The total capital expenditure so far at Kaikotin is US$200,000 or G$40M with profits per acre ranging from 15% to 30% per acre.
Mekdeci is thankful to the government which has given him customs, duty and consumption-tax free concessions, to import his mulching equipment and material.
But the lengthy process in acquiring the concessions is hampering productivity. It took one year to gain duty free concessions on the seedling trays for the broccoli and cauliflower; as a result none of these vegetables were planted for sometime. Last week Mekdeci got seedling trays to resume planting broccoli and cauliflower.
Also, it takes three months to get the concessions approved and the permit is only valid for three months; thus in the event the concession is approved, the orders must be in place and ready for shipment, he says.
"The government and the private sector don't value time the same way."
At present, Mekdeci wants duty-free concessions on spare parts for his broken down 4x4 to pull the larger trailer he will build to transport his produce. The 4x4 now being used will not be able to pull the new trailer.
It is 130 miles from Georgetown to the Kaikotin Farm, 1 1/2 hours on the 65 miles stretch from Georgetown to Linden and over 4 hours at times from Linden into the intermediate savannahs on unpaved roads.
Several large potholes on the Linden to Ituni road, created during the rainy season due to heavy-duty trucks, make it very difficult to navigate, especially with a trailer attached, as Stabroek Business got to experience firsthand.
"Transportation [is the] number one limiting factor. These are some of the challenges. Everywhere you turn there is a transportation barrier," says Mekdeci.
He says the government offered to give him duty free concessions to import a refrigerated truck to transport his produce, but these trucks are made as ordered - and cost $7M. Moreover, he indicates that the condition of the road is likely to do great damage to such a vehicle.
Packaging and marketing
All of the produce is carefully packed in American made crates which can fold when not in use. The crates are lined with sponge and the fruits and vegetables are separated by cardboard to prevent them from being bruised during the rough journey. Each crate cost $2000 with duty free concessions.
Twice per week produce is brought from the Kaikotin Farm and distributed to five local supermarkets and sold under the brand 'Savannah'. But this produce does not last long on the supermarket shelves, so individuals who do not want to miss out, often visit Mekdeci's offices on Water Street to place their orders.
To expand from his 14 hectares he says what is needed is a "high clearance sprayer" which cost US$30,000. This is a tractor so tall that it drives over the heads of the corn plants to spray insecticide on the plants.
"It is the key to the next expansion," says Mekdeci, adding that they cannot do additional acres by hand.
One means to gain additional financing will be to enter into a joint venture. Mekdeci says he has not ruled out taking the investors on board but this will depend on what the offer is.
Taking a bank loan is not an option since "the lending rate is very painful."
As of now all the profits from the farm are being re-invested to buy additional equipment.