Dear Editor,
Undoubtedly, the Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Mr Zulfikar Mustapha, has made an excellent analysis and prognosis when he said the sugar and rice industries are on the road to recovery, and will surpass the targets set.
This prognosis can be extended to the entire agriculture sector as well.
Crops are invariably always affected by adverse weather conditions, and the recent floods have devastated both industries, but they have been rescued and remain standing simply because of the timely intervention by the Minister of Agriculture and his Government.
The Minister of Agriculture, and all the other Ministers, including the President and the Vice-President, visited all the affected areas and provided on-the-spot relief to those affected. Never has this massive scale of Government intervention ever taken place in Guyana. The Government spent billions of dollars in drainage and infrastructure; roads, cash grants and relief; subsidies and free distribution of seeds, plants, chemicals and fertilisers.
The rains persisted in 2021 and most of 2022, but this Government continued to relentlessly pursue solutions not only to resuscitate the sector, but to bring about transformational changes which would greatly boost the productivity and production of not only the traditional crops, but a long list of other non-traditional high-value crops as well.
During all of these challenges, the Government brought down the prices of fuel, fertilisers and chemicals to ensure that production costs are kept in check, and farmers can improve on their profit margins while keeping the prices affordable to the consumers. In addition, VAT was removed from vital machinery and equipment.
Guyanese must reflect on the fact that while prices are skyrocketing all over the world, they are enjoying stable prices for many commodities. I know that, currently, the prices for vegetables are at a very high level, but this would change soon, since the weather conditions are now favourable and farmers will soon be able to up their production. Even the small kitchen gardens will thrive once again. Our trials and fallout from the floods will soon be over, and we will once again be able to enjoy an abundance of produce at affordable prices. The same can be said of the livestock and fishing industries as well.
I must thank the Government for ensuring that Guyanese people successfully ride and overcome the floods and the devastation which ensued.
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf
