Guyana earned $897M from agro-processing exports in 2023

The Agriculture Ministry continues to prioritize agro-processing across Guyana, and the country has earned a whopping $897 million from agro-processing exports in 2023.
This is according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who made this disclosure during a recent high-level dialogue themed “Reflections on the Fight Against Hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean”.
According to Mustapha, this record is solely due to the Government’s prioritizing of agro-processing.
“Agro-processing is another area that we have been seriously focusing on; it is a priority area within the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC). Introducing over 140 new local products in 2023, export volumes grew by 61%, with $897 million earned from agro-processing,” the minister has said.
Taking the opportunity to reveal other enhancements recorded in the agriculture sector, Mustapha highlighted that due to significant results from the initial Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme, some 600 persons are on board for the next edition.
To top it off, the minister further related that various regions have already been targeted, and Government would focus on ensuring that a percentage would be geared towards inclusion of youths.
“This initiative would have generated approximately $30 million in revenue, and this programme has been driven by young people. We have over 1,000 youths involved in agriculture, because of the successes that we have had in this programme. We are now rolling out this programme to other regions in the country — Regions Two, Five, and Ten — where we will be investing another $4.5 million (to target) another 600 young people to be part of this programme,” the minister has said.
The Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Program has played a significant role in this transition. From 2021 to 2023, the programme established over 500 shade houses, producing high-value crops.
“That’s the way we are empowering the vulnerable groups in our country. Thus far, this programme has proven to be a very successful programme; and as a stakeholder in the agriculture sector, as a decision-maker…Government continues to ensure that more persons are included.
However, not only have agro- processing and the shade house project seen uphill growth, but the Agriculture Ministry has also ensured proper diversification of crops being marketed to regional markets.
“With corn and soybean expansion, the target of cultivating 250,000 acres by 2025 is on track. Guyana has been importing over 40 million U.S. dollars in corn and soya annually for the livestock industry. By 2025, we hope to be self-sufficient, reducing that expenditure and redirecting the US$40 million to other vulnerable sectors to improve the country’s development,” the minister has said.
Guyana’s agriculture diversification includes the introduction of biofortified crops like enriched rice and other crops, such as wheat, chickpeas and millet.
Over 100 agro-processing businesses have displayed their wares at this year’s Uncapped Marketplace, which was held at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara between August 31 and September 1.
Guyana is well on its way to becoming a major food exporter for the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and countries in Latin America, as the production of food continues to increase.
President Dr Irfaan Ali announced last Saturday that legume production for 2024 increased by 106 per cent, peanuts’ production increased by 286 per cent, coconut production saw a 55 per cent increase, while ground provisions and vegetables increased by an average of 218 per cent.