Guyanese farmers need to take advantage of opportunities within Caricom markets – Agri Minister

As the Agriculture Ministry seeks to encourage local farmers to take advantage of available opportunities which are available in the Caricom markets, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha reminded that farming at every level is being encouraged.
This, he said, is in addition to cultivating high-value crops.
Addressing farmers at Number Two Village and Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), on Saturday, Mustapha pointed to the fact that there is a huge market available within Caricom for local farmers. He noted that agriculture is one of the most important activities in Guyana currently.

“When you look at the food import bill of Caricom, it is between US$6 billion to US$8 billion. All of the Heads came together and said that we have to reduce that by 25 per cent by 2025. If we are going to be successful in reducing the food import bill in Caricom, then Guyana has to be successful and that is why we are not only leading the Caribbean but we are doing a modernisation of our infrastructure right here in Guyana,” he pointed out.
Mustapha noted that the Ministry has been working with various groups across the country by providing basic farming tools to them.
The Agriculture Minister called on all farmers to work together.
“Small scale farmers, instead of forking, and we give you things like tillers, we give seeds planting material, we give drugs. You here in Cotton Tree can enjoy the benefit but you have to come together and work as a team. We don’t want to work with individuals,” he told the farmers who had gathered at Number Two Village; these included cash crops, livestock and rice farmers.
During his engagement, the farmers asked for improved access to farmlands and spoke of the destruction of crops by cattle.
Small farmers also called for assistance to get their land ploughed. Some farmers noted that the quality of seeds for high-value crops available is of very poor quality.
Those farmers were promised seeds through the Agriculture Ministry while timely interventions will be made to address the other issues raised.
Region Five Chairman Vickchand Ramphal, who was also at the meeting, was instructed to engage the Police at the highest level to resolve the issue of cattle destroying crops.
Meanwhile, at Bush Lot, the issues raised by farmers were similar in addition to a request for improved drainage for farmlands.
Farmers there also explained that there is inadequate response by the Police to damage of crops by cattle. They also say cattle rustling is hampering the development of the industry.
As it relates to bringing down the operational cost for rice farmers, Mustapha noted that his Administration is looking at those farmers who have leased land from the Government and sub-letting it to farmers.
“The people who have lease for these lands are being charged $350 per acre but they are renting the land to the poor farmers for $20,000 and $30,000. We as a Government are talking about bringing down the cost of production – we are doing all that we can do; we have put zero excise tax on fuel so that the fuel price can drop. Because of the Russia-Ukraine war, we have seen an escalation in the price of fertiliser, and the Government made funds available so that we can give fertiliser to farmers. All these things the Government did so that the farmers get support so that you can produce and then you farmers are running down each other to pay higher prices to rent land. So, I have instructed the MMA Board to review all those who have large acreages of land and living overseas; we have to get the farmers who are producing in Guyana to get the land and they must only pay the price that we are charging at the scheme,” he pointed out.
Mustapha committed to working with the farmers in their respective categories and assured that the agencies within the Ministry will continue to work with them and provide the technical support necessary to improve their operations. (G4)