Govt mulls establishing food hub along Linden highway – Agri Minister

The Government of Guyana is now exploring the option of establishing along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway a food hub that would be used to export food to other countries across the Caribbean.
This was revealed by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during a community meeting at Salem Koker, Essequibo, on Wednesday.
“Right now, we are looking to build a food hub on the highway, so that we can have produce there to export to different parts of the Caribbean.”
During the meeting, Mustapha discussed the importance of agriculture in the country as he emphasised the Government’s goal to be the lead in food security in the Caribbean region. In light of this, the minister highlighted several interventions the Ministry will make to provide relief to farmers in the area.
According to Mustapha, “We will build the shed, we will grade and shape the dams, and we’ll start to work with farmers to help them to do the internal drain. We’ll spend about $30 million dollars to do it, and then the engineer will be looking at the bridge to see how we can reinforce it and also that cut that you talk about. Those five activities we will try to do as early as possible, so that we can bring relief to you, the farmers,” The minister outlined.
Additionally, Mustapha noted that a proposal to construct an all-weather farm-to-market road, which will cost approximately $600 million, and other large projects will be presented in next year’s budget.
“The larger projects, like the farm-to-market-road and the three bridges that you talked about…One bridge is costing $35 million. So, we will put those in our budget, and hopefully we can get it next year and do it for you. When we do those projects… we will have an increase in production in this area,” the minister highlighted.
Mustapha also disclosed that 11 nurseries across the country are being upgraded. He added that the Pouderoyen nursery will be upgraded, and free planting materials will be provided to the farmers to increase food production, due to the demand for agricultural produce and products locally and in the region.
Mustapha noted that the Government is also executing several transformative and ground-breaking initiatives to ensure the agriculture sector is resilient and sustainable.
“So, all these things are in the pipeline for us, and in another year from now, all these things will come into effect. So, with your activities to produce, what you are doing, and other activities that we’re doing across the country, Guyana once again will become the powerhouse for agriculture and food production in the Caribbean.”
The minister stressed that Government will continue to provide the much-needed interventions and investments to bring instant relief to farmers countrywide, as the country continues on its food security trajectory.