Mustapha outlines massive agriculture push for Region 5

– urges farmers to help cut production costs

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha met rice, livestock, and cash-crop farmers on Saturday at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice, where he outlined Government’s massive push in the sector.
He also insisted that farmers must adjust their practices and help lower production costs if Guyana is to remain competitive on the world market, while reiterating Government’s commitment to continue “rescuing” farmers in times of crisis.
“We have to collectively work to bring down the cost of production. If we can’t bring down the cost of production, we can’t survive in this world,” he cautioned.
One of the key issues he highlighted is the widespread practice of subletting lands leased from the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary (MMA) Scheme at high rates, with some leaseholders treating the land as a “commercial business” instead of cultivating it themselves.
He reminded the gathering that the previous Government had increased land rental and drainage and irrigation charges from $3500 to $15,000 per acre, forcing many farmers out of cultivation. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), he said, reversed that decision soon after taking office and reduced the rate back to $3500, yet many leaseholders still owe large amounts.
Quoting from the standard MMA lease, Mustapha stressed that subletting without written consent is prohibited and disclosed that he is preparing a policy paper for Cabinet to address the issue, including outstanding rentals and land disputes in the scheme.
“Let’s stop those things,” he urged, promising to spend an entire day in the region with the MMA board to help resolve land problems.

Development
Mustapha said the Government’s objective is to position Guyana as the number one food-producing country in Caricom, noting that the regional bloc cannot achieve its target of cutting its food import bill by 25 per cent without Guyana’s success.
“We have abundant fresh water, and we have flat and arable land. The job for us now is to harness those potentials that we have,” he stressed.
The Minister reminded farmers that Region Five has been earmarked as the “livestock capital” of the Caribbean. He pointed to the Black Belly sheep initiative launched by President Dr Irfaan Ali at Onverwagt, in partnership with Barbados, through which Guyana received 1000 sheep to help build a new brand of mutton for regional and international markets.
“Today, over 500 farmers have benefited from that programme,” Mustapha reported, adding that the Government has developed a 65-acre plot for small ruminant farmers to graze their animals, with more extensive development planned in other parts of the region.
He urged rice farmers not to view livestock development as separate from their own interests. “When development takes place in the livestock sector, it will help you too. It will bring more revenue into the country, and you can get a better price for your paddy,” he told them.
Mustapha also announced that President Ali was expected in the region shortly to commission the new state-of-the-art abattoir, which will facilitate more scientific slaughtering of cattle and other animals and is expected to serve the wider country.
The Minister outlined several ongoing and planned infrastructure projects aimed at reducing flooding and supporting expanded production.
He also highlighted the prawns project at Onverwagt, where a model farm and hatchery are being developed to supply larvae for ponds and support large-scale aquaculture investment. The Government is additionally examining the construction of brackish water shrimp ponds along the coast.
“Region Five is slated for massive development,” Mustapha declared, pointing as well to the national food hub being constructed on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway with a US$12 million cold storage component.

Rice
Turning to the rice industry, the Agriculture Minister said Guyana produced a record 725,000 tonnes of rice last year and was on track to produce between 810,000 and 820,000 tonnes this year, as the country worked towards a 2030 target of 1.2 million tonnes.
He acknowledged that some Region Five farmers experienced low yields in the last crop, but said the Agriculture Ministry and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) will work closely with them “to get back that yield increased tremendously next crop.”
The Minister reminded farmers that Government has repeatedly intervened to support the industry, including absorbing VAT and taxes on agricultural inputs and machinery, providing free or subsidised fertiliser and seed paddy, and granting a $300-per-bag top-up on paddy prices last crop – an initiative that placed some $1.9 billion directly into rice farmers’ pockets. He noted that 150,000 bags of fertiliser, worth more than $970 million, were distributed in Region Five alone to rice and cash-crop farmers.
He also flagged Government’s plan to establish a development bank for agriculture that would provide interest-free loans, freeing farmers from having to rely on millers for advance financing and then being tied to selling paddy to specific mills.
“That will be a game changer for the industry,” he said.
Mustapha further urged every rice farmer to enrol in the new crop insurance scheme that covers losses from flood or drought, with the State paying the insurance premium. “It is your benefit,” he emphasised, warning that those who refuse to join now should not expect compensation later.
Despite temporary setbacks such as the recent yield decline, Mustapha said the PPP/C Administration remained firmly committed to farmers and to the transformation of the sector.
“You are not hearing that this government is saying rice is a private business, and you must go and look for yourself. Every time there’s a crisis in this sector, especially the rice industry, we try and come and rescue the rice farmers. That’s the hallmark of this government, and we will continue to do that,” he told the meeting.
He urged farmers to work with the Ministry and other agencies as the Administration accelerated its agenda to modernise agriculture, increase value-added production, and ensure Guyana’s position as the Region’s leading food producer.
“Let us work together. We have started something in 2020, and we will continue more aggressively. In these five years, as the President said, we have to do 15 years’ work, and you are already seeing the transformation taking place,” the Minister appealed.