Harvesting begins on trial 115-acre soya bean ranch

…very promising yields – President, VP
…initiative will cut Guyana’s feed import bill by millions – Agri Minister

With reaping commencing at the Dubulay Ranch soya bean trial, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha is optimistic that the initiative is off to a great start and that such initiatives will ultimately cut Guyana’s approximately US$30 million feed import bill.

President Dr Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo both announced the commencement of reaping at the 115-acre cultivation located in Ebini, approximately 70 miles south of Georgetown along the Berbice River on Sunday. According to them, the cultivation is very promising with yields of up to two tons per hectare.
In an interview with this publication, Mustapha was optimistic of the development and noted that significant investments have been made in the industry, through public private partnership, with the aim that one day Guyana will be self-sufficient in its production of feed.
“This here is the trial run that we’ve started. Because what we have been doing, we want in another few years from now to be self-sufficient in producing our own protein for the feed industry. So, I’m hoping that with the investment that we’ve made here, with public private partnership, with the consortium group and us.”
“This year we’ll be expending $500 million. The road has already been awarded. And we’re looking to purchase a silo, so that next crop hopefully, they will have their own silos with the drying facility. They will increase the acreage next crop. Hopefully we have more trials, in terms of more yields per acre. I think the present reaping that they are doing is very satisfactory. And next crop, we will have better yields and will move the process forward,” he said.
Mustapha pointed out that Guyana’s feed import bill is approximately US$30 million annually (GY$6.2 billion). It therefore means that a self-sustained feed industry would save Guyana billions of dollars that would have otherwise left the country.
He also noted that there is a market for Guyana to export feed right in the Caribbean. According to Mustapha, the Ministerial task force has been looking at barriers to trade and he was optimistic that they could tap into the market once there is a surplus of production.
“We have been spending a lot of money in terms of importing, for example US$30 million annually. And also, there is a very open market in the Caribbean… only Belize in the Caribbean is producing that (corn and soya). And the Caribbean are in a demand for this, because they are importing a lot of this stuff from the United States.”
“So, this will be a very lucrative crop and investment. And I’m hoping in the next few years we can see more of these investments, not only with this consortium but other groups will come forward. So, I think this is the beginning of good things for Guyana,” the Minister said, adding that there has also been significant investor interest in the industry already.
The ranch is being developed by a consortium of investors that includes the owners of Guyana Stock Feed Ltd, Royal Chicken, Edun Farms, SBM Wood, Dubulay Ranch, and Bounty Farm Ltd, along with the Brazilian-owned NF Agriculture.
Back in April, Assistant Managing Director of Bounty Farm Limited, David Fernandes had explained the group’s vision for the project. During his presentation, Fernandes said that Guyana has long been touted as having the potential of being the bread basket of the Caribbean and that in recent years there has been a greater appreciation of the high dependence on imports for livestock feeds.
With Guyana spending close to US$25 million annually on proteins just for the poultry sector, Government, since taking office, has taken steps to promote domestic cultivation of grains like corn and soya bean. Government, in its 2020 Emergency Budget, removed Value-Added Tax (VAT) on agricultural machinery, fertilisers, agrochemicals, and pesticides, making it more feasible for such investments.
Additionally, the Government has reversed land lease fees across all sectors and water charges back to 2014 rates. Presently, Guyana’s national feed consumption for the poultry industry is 113,000 metric tonnes annually, with broiler birds consuming approximately 100,000 metric tonnes of feed and layers consuming approximately 13,000 metric tonnes of feed annually.
This feed comprises 60 per cent grain (corn and rice), which is equivalent to approximately 68,000 tonnes, and 30 per cent soya bean meal, which is equivalent to approximately 34,000 tonnes per year. (G3)