Dear Editor,
It is great reading that “Farmers receive (d) swine to improve production.” This headline in the local press caught my attention, and I read through the details showing that “Twenty farmers, from various communities, were recipients of sows, one each, for the purpose of boosting swine rearing and pork production, as a part of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) genetic improvement programme.” This kind of gesture has a lot of positive implications.
For starters, it means that revenue can be saved since in 2020 alone, Guyana imported $1.05 million in Poultry Meat, making it the 184th largest importer of Poultry Meat in the world. These figures in the said year convert to pig meat imports quantities for Guyana of 2804 thousand tonnes. This number reflects “Pig meat imports for Guyana increasing from 139 thousand tonnes in 1971, that is, a growth rate of an annual 29.26%.” Guyana normally imports Poultry Meat primarily from: Brazil ($836k); United States ($204k); United Kingdom ($6.46k); and Netherlands ($5.41k). So, with a boost locally in production, it means ‘business’ will be better for the producers and consumers.
Maybe this will inspire our local pig farmers: In 2022 so far, the approximate price range for Canada Pork is between US$2.58 and US$2.43 per kilogram, or between US$1.17 and US$1.1 per pound(lb). The price in Canadian Dollar is CAD 3.22 per kg.
Another positive is that, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, pork is considered to be the most consumed meat in the world by 36 per cent. We know that both Muslims and Jews do not consume pork for religious reasons. Due to this, a large percentage of people do not eat pork. Yet pork still holds the number one position for the most consumed meat in the world. This translates into the huge possibility of finding niches in terms of ‘exporting to earning foreign exchange.’
Editor, it is heartening to know that agriculture is really ‘catching on’ in Guyana, as it rightly should, and that we have a most ‘ hands-on’ minister in charge. HE, Zulfikar Mustapha, Agriculture Minister, explained to the recipients “… that Guyana is currently leading the Caribbean in the agriculture sector and continuous efforts are being made to ensure the country achieve its goal of being food secure and reducing the food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.” And true to commitment and promises made by the Government, the Minister reminded all that “We know for a fact that we are continuously working to develop the poultry industry, we want to be a net exporter. We want to increase swine production. We want to increase and develop cattle, beef and dairy products; we want to develop the small ruminant’s production.”
Well, it is a good that Budget 2022 for agriculture is approximately $22 billion, as agriculture still remains one of Guyana’s most important and productive sectors. Let us bear in mind too that back in May of this year, President Irfaan Ali, at the Caribbean Agriculture Investment Forum and Expo, did announce a series of targets, aimed at reducing Guyana’s US$30 million annual food import bill (in line with the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom’s) target to reduce food imports by 25 per cent by 2025). So, it seems that the drive towards this is truly on.
Yours truly,
H Singh
