After successful pilot project: $15M onion harvest fuels Guyana’s push toward export market

…as 200 acres of onion production now being targeted

The government is taking steps to increase onion production after a successful pilot project in Region Nine (Upper Takutu -Upper Essequibo) and is now setting its sights on entering the export market.
Last week, more than $15 million worth of onions were harvested from farms in Region Nine as part of a pilot project that was launched by the government.
Approximately 2600 bags of onions have been harvested to date from the cultivation, which began on December 27, 2025. The produce is being sold at $6000 per bag.
On Monday to mark this milestone, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha explained that the government is now moving to expand the project, with the eventual goal of exporting the produce.
Mustapha noted too that farmers from other parts of the country are interested in getting involved in the project.
“The next crop, I am hoping that we can go into about 200 acres. This was just a pilot project of four acres when we started out. We are hoping that the next crop we can go into over 200 acres of onion cultivation because we are seeing interest around the country.”
“Since these onions were harvested, and since the President [Dr Irfaan Ali] was there and he did part of the harvesting, now other people in places like Region Two, Region Six, and Region Five are coming forward and they want to get involved also,” the minister stated.
Meanwhile, markets for the onions have already been secured in Lethem and across the country. The short-term goal is to make Guyana self-sufficient, with the long-term goal of exporting the produce.
“I have instructed NAREI to go around and partner with these people…so they also will set aside part of their farmland to start the process…I am hoping that if we could cultivate 200 acres of onion, we can be self-sufficient in producing all our needs in Guyana. I am hoping that at the end of that, we can go far beyond 200 acres, then we can export to the region.”
Guyana is aggressively reducing food imports, aiming to cut its import bill by 25% by 2025 through increased local production of crops like corn, soy, and livestock.
In fact, Guyana has already gained self-sufficiency with its corn and soybean project, which was piloted in 2021 and is now, for the first time ever, exporting the crops to Barbados.
Mustapha emphasized that this initiative reflects the government’s broader push to diversify the agriculture sector with a vast range of other crops.
“Besides this, we went into high-value crops, things like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and lettuce. We went into corn and soya; I am hoping that very shortly we will be self-sufficient in producing all our soy needs so that we will not import 40 million US dollars annually so all these things we are doing in the agriculture sector. And besides this, we are looking into other crops, things like beet and dragon fruit; all those things we are going into in the agriculture sector.”
He expressed hope that by the next harvest, additional dealers and distributors across the country would begin purchasing the produce and ensuring wider distribution to supermarkets nationwide.

Success in prawns’ production
Apart from crops, the government has seen successes in its prawn production, with the commodity already reaching markets in Barbados and Trinidad.
He stated that the brackish water shrimp industry in Region Six has already been developed to a value exceeding $2.6 billion.
He added that plans are underway to expand the initiative, noting that he is scheduled to visit Essequibo on Wednesday to officially launch a similar project in Region Two. He also highlighted the Vannamei project in Region Five, through which prawns are now being exported to Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. Additionally, he noted that locally packaged Guyanese prawns are available in supermarkets across the country under the Guyana Coast brand.
“These prawns have been sold in Massy Supermarket and other major supermarkets across the country. So that shows our resilience and our increase in various crops, new crops in the agriculture sector. Besides that, in the traditional area, we have been moving to increase production. Meanwhile, we have seen rice production increase to 810,000 tons last year.”
In January, this publication had reported that the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) partnered with farmer Christopher Moses to cultivate five acres of onions in Lethem. Initial estimates suggested the acreage could yield about 250,000 pounds of onions, surpassing earlier projections for Regions Nine and Eight. The onion project is part of a national strategy aimed at strengthening food security and reducing reliance on imports. Government has identified Region Nine and other hinterland areas as key contributors to expanding both traditional and non-traditional crops. Production targets outlined by the Agriculture Ministry include citrus, carrots, peanuts and onions, along with livestock outputs. These targets are supported by coordination with the Guyana Marketing Corporation to improve market access and distribution.