Govt pursuing increased agri production for domestic, regional consumers – Mustapha

– expands corn, soya, poultry production; aims to end onion imports

As the Government pursues increased agricultural production for domestic consumption and regional exports, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has said that production has increased in almost every subsector since 2020 and he wants to double agricultural production while developing Guyana’s capacity to supply regional markets.

“We want to double it because we are not only producing for local consumption, we want to be a food producer, we want to be an exporter, net exporter to the region,” he said. Speaking following an agricultural outreach at Albion, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) over the weekend, Mustapha also outlined that Guyana is aiming to end onion imports by the first quarter of 2027, alongside plans to expand corn, soya and poultry production.

“I am hoping by the first quarter of next year we will stop importing all the onions that we used to import in our country. I am hoping that also the corn and soya production will increase, we will not import any,” he said. While discussing corn and soya, the Minister noted that exports to Barbados had already started.

Turning to poultry, Mustapha said production reached 91,000 metric tonnes in 2025, up from an earlier level of 41,000 metric tonnes. He expressed optimism that interventions involving modern tunnel-ventilated poultry pens would drive further growth, potentially taking output beyond 100,000 metric tonnes by the end of 2026.

“With the intervention that we have had over the last few months with these tunnel, modern tunnel ventilated pens, that production will increase substantially by the end of 2026. We might surpass the 100,000 metric ton,” he said.

Eyes bumper 2027 first rice crop

Minister Zulfikar Mustapha is also optimistic about a bumper first rice crop in 2027, citing advancing land preparation and the availability of irrigation water.

Speaking following an agricultural outreach at Albion, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Mustapha said 100,000 acres had already been prepared for cultivation in the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary (MMA) scheme, while nearly 60,000 acres were being prepared in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

“As a matter of fact, 100,000 acres of land have already been prepared for cultivation in the MMA scheme. In Region 6 we have close to about 60,000 acres already being prepared,” he said.

The Minister also reported that land preparation in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) stood at about 22,000 acres when he checked the previous week. He put that region’s cultivation capacity at about 34,000 acres. Addressing irrigation, Mustapha said sufficient water was available in the conservancies despite what he described as ongoing El Niño conditions.

“Rice production is on stream, although we are in the El Niño condition now. We have enough water in the conservancies and we are making irrigation available,” he stated. Mustapha said he planned to meet major stakeholders from across the country on Tuesday to identify further interventions to support cultivation.

“So, I am hoping that this first crop in 2027 will have a bumper crop,” he said.

The Minister also expressed optimism about international market conditions, pointing to increases in paddy and rice prices and trends in Europe and Asia which he believes could benefit Guyana’s rice industry. “We are seeing the increase in prices for paddy or rice around the world and when you look at a trend that is happening in Europe and happening in Asia, I think that augurs well for us, augurs well for the rice industry in Guyana,” Mustapha said.