DDL’s modern dairy farm boosting local milk production, reducing import reliance – Pres Ali

As Guyana continues to push agricultural development to ensure the country’s food security, the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) state-of-the-art US$20 million dairy farm is being hailed for not only increasing local milk production but also its role in reducing national dependence on imported dairy. In a social media post on Sunday, President Dr Irfaan Ali lauded DDL for employing agricultural innovation at the facility, which he says is adding to the economic diversification of the country. “The Demerara Distillers Limited’s modern dairy farm at Moblissa is a strong example of the ongoing modernisation of agriculture and diversification of Guyana’s economy,” the Head of State said in a Facebook post. According to President Ali, “Through investments in technology and advanced farming methods, DDL is helping increase local milk production, reduce Guyana’s reliance on imports and enhance food security.” The Guyana Government has been encouraging the use of advanced farming techniques and modern technology to support agricultural development and national food security initiatives. DDL has said that its commercial dairy farm, located at Moblissa on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, it is a strategic pillar in Guyana’s bid to lead the CARICOM 25 by 2025+5 food security initiative. By producing fresh, high-quality milk locally, the company aims to displace a significant portion of the tens of millions of US dollars currently spent annually on dairy imports. Only back in May, DDL announced the arrival of the first shipment of high-yield milking cows via a charter flight from the United States of America. Following strict biosecurity protocols, the 89 pregnant heifers were transferred from the aircraft to a fleet of flatbed trucks and transported to the Moblissa farm, where they acclimated in the state-of-the-art facility designed with modern climate-control amenities to ensure maximum comfort and productivity. Those pregnant heifers, which have since delivered, are now producing milk at commercial scale.

“Game-charger”
DDL’s Executive Chairman, Komal Samaroo, had stated back in May that this US$30 million investment is aimed as positioning the company as a “game-charger” in the local dairy industry. “We are not just building a farm; we are building a sustainable industry that will transform Guyana’s agribusiness sector and provide long-term food security for the region,” Samaroo had noted. The US multi-million-dollar dairy farm, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, will be supplying both the local and regional markets.

The facility stemmed from an agreement which was signed in February, 2023 by DDL subsidiary Tropical Orchard Product Company Limited (TOPCO) and the LR Group of Israel. Meanwhile, the Guyana Government has also rolled out a number of initiatives to support the advancement of the local dairy industry. Only back in December 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture handed over dairy stock to farmers as part of efforts to strengthen and expand Guyana’s dairy industry. Some 19 farmers had benefitted from that intervention – the first phase of the initiative. Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, at the time had called for livestock farmers to avoid a “tunnel vision” approach and embrace integrated systems across production. He had noted that more than $110 million has been expended to facilitate some 300 embryo transplants aimed at boosting dairy production and improving genetics nationwide. In addition to the dairy stock, farmers also received soilage to support improved feeding systems and sustainable production.