Local hatching egg programme is good for Guyana

Dear Editor,
As per Budget 2026 details, I note that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government “… has set its sights on producing up to 20 million hatching eggs annually as part of a long-term plan to strengthen Guyana’s poultry industry, reduce dependence on imports and improve disease control across the sector.” This is really great news. As a matter of fact, putting this into context, the egg hatching industry is generally considered a profitable, stable, and essential segment of the broader poultry sector, acting as the foundation for both broiler meat and egg production. On the global scale, the egg hatching industry is currently experiencing a significant boom, driven by high demand for poultry meat and eggs, combined with acute supply shortages that have pushed prices to historic highs. The market, which includes both broiler and layer chick production, is highly profitable, with the global egg incubator market estimated to grow from its current USD 1.12 billion to USD 1.89 billion by 2032.
According to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, the initiative, already into the implementation phase, “… is aimed at ensuring that Guyana can eventually meet its own demand for hatching eggs while safeguarding the health and quality of broiler production.” He detailed that “Currently, Guyana utilizes approximately 53 million hatching eggs annually to sustain its poultry industry, and scaling up things will mean hastening the land clearing that is underway at Pokoribe, a settlement located in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), so as to establish dedicated breeder facilities. This means spin-offs like employment, entrepreneurship, and eventually fully meeting local demands.
This will not be overnight, even though ongoing is the preparation of some 200 acres of land to be used for infrastructural things like specialised pens, already procured. The programme has that added element of ‘tested’ expertise, as it is in tandem with a Brazilian company, that is bringing technical aid to this aspect of poultry production that is not the usual ‘everyday’ stuff, but that which differs significantly from standard broiler operations. The aim is that when completed, and in full swing, the facilities are expected to produce between 16 and 20 million hatching eggs annually. This, as we all know, is not going to suffice for the country, but it’s a start and it represents that all-important critical first step toward self-sufficiency, say within the next five years (as the Minister hinted).
Editor, this kind of thinking and planning is what Guyana needs. We know that the poultry industry is quite a cornerstone of global economies, providing essential, high-quality protein (meat and eggs) while acting as a significant driver of income, employment, and rural development. It enhances food security, serves as a “petty cash” buffer for smallholders, and generates substantial economic activity, including billions in wages and tax revenue. With good space available in Guyana, we must maximize.

Yours truly,
HB Singh