300 acres of onions to cut import bill

Guyana is on track to reap its first large-scale onion harvest by the end of this year, with 300 acres now under cultivation following a successful pilot project in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of an event on Friday, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha said the crop is expected to meet a significant share of the country’s onion demand, cutting the foreign exchange currently spent on imports.

“300 acres of onions will satisfy the demands in Guyana, but at the same time we want to be a net exporter, and we are building a food hub along the Linden/Soesdyke highway,” Minister Mustapha highlighted.

The onion push is part of a broader diversification drive that includes corn, soya, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot and lettuce, high-value crops.

They are supplying the hospitality and tourism sectors and reducing reliance on imported produce.

The minister also confirmed that Guyana is exploring wheat production, following a trial already under way in the country.

He said discussions with Zimbabwe’s newly accredited ambassador, who presented credentials to President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali earlier this week, could see Guyana access technical expertise from Zimbabwean specialists who have mastered tropical wheat cultivation.

If successful, the minister said, wheat could be produced at scale to meet not only Guyana’s needs but demand across the Caribbean.

He linked the initiatives to the region’s CARICOM 25 by 2025 (plus 5) target to cut the Caribbean’s food import bill by 25 per cent, a goal he said Guyana must lead on for the target to be met. (DPI)