Cold storage, agro hubs: new opportunities on horizon for Region 2 farmers

With plans to build a modern drying and storage facility, farmers across Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are being encouraged to explore crop diversification in order to yield more value from their farmlands. This call was reiterated by President Dr Irfaan Ali on Saturday during a community meeting at Affiance, Essequibo Coast, where he engaged residents, including farmers. During the meeting, one farmer suggested that a cold storage facility be built on the coast to encourage more farmers to diversify their crops. In response, President Ali informed residents that there are already plans to construct such a facility.
“We will invest in that. So, if we can get a hundred people to do one acre of peppers each… you’ve got a hundred acres of peppers. We will build a cold storage because they got peppers to store. And then, we keep it when the market is good and we put it in the system. We want to support you in crop diversification,” he declared. The Guyanese leader pointed out that when Government makes such huge investments like this to benefit farmers, they expect those beneficiaries to be consistent in not only their production but also in pricing to consumers. “If we want to build long-term success, we have to build a win-win situation where you know that you have a consistent price for your product, and we know we have a consistent supply for the product. So, once you have a consistent supply and a consistent price, then the thing will work.”

“We can’t build this school storage, and then when we get to the market, one month the pepper is $60 a pint and the next month it’s $300 a pint. Remember, it’s a business model. So that is what we have to sit down and work out. We have to diversify and we have to invest in the infrastructure that will support diversification. And we’re going to do that, but you also have to help us from the other end,” he emphasised.
Already, President Ali has detailed plans for the build-out of a number of farms to market-access roads across the Essequibo Coast to support farmers as well as the construction of the new $880 million Charity Multipurpose Wharf that will be a major hub for moving goods and commerce in the Essequibo region. These are complemented by the more than $403 million that was distributed to rice farmers in the Pomeroon-Supenaam region on Saturday as part of a previous commitment to support the sector countrywide. According to the Head of State, the Government intends to build an agro-industrial hub in Region Two, and there are enormous opportunities for residents and farmers to tap into. He further suggested swine production, livestock and egg production as some areas with potential in Essequibo.

Young people
Moreover, the Guyanese leader went on to call on young people across the region to also look into new opportunities within the agriculture industry. “We want to work with young people, whether you have an idea on agro-processing or whether you have an idea on farming with technology, drone technology. We want a group of young people to come up and say, ‘You’ve come together and formed a consortium with 10 of you inside, and you buy the drones, and we will train you in the management of the drones. So, then you can apply the fertiliser by drone for small rice farmers,” the President stated.
He added, “Why are we investing so heavily in this region? It is because we understand the potential of this region. We understand the importance of this region, and that is why we’re investing at a household level and at a community level.” President Ali noted too the launch of the highly anticipated Guyana Development Bank (GDB) will open up financing access for persons in the region who already have a small business to expand or are interested in setting up a new one. This new facility will make available financing of up to $3 million interest-free and collateral-free to beneficiaries. As part of this initiative, the Government will also offer coaching and mentorship services to better position beneficiaries for success. The Government has already laid the legislation in the National Assembly for the formal establishment of the new state-owned financial institution and has pledged some $40 billion (US$200 million) for this facility. Approximately $20 billion (US$100 million) has been set aside in Budget 2026 for the bank when it comes into operation this year.