Over 3000 baby chicks distributed to Corentyne poultry farmers

The Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) on Saturday distributed in excess of 2000 black giant baby chicks along with over 600 meat bird chicks to Corentyne poultry farmers.
Each of the 120 farmers received 20 chickens each. In addition to that, several farmers were given meat bird chickens.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the distribution was only a small part of this Ministry’s expansion programme for the agriculture sector.
Even though the country is considered agriculture oriented, producing 60 per cent of the food consumed, most of the production in that sector is fruits and vegetables.
However, the Agriculture Minister said his Ministry is focusing on ensuring that more food is produced locally. As a result, the cultivation of new crops has commenced while new programmes are being implemented for the livestock industry.
Mustapha pointed to the fact that budgetary allocations for the agriculture sector have been increased by 150 per cent, moving from $13 billion in 2020, to $32 billion in 2023.
“Guyana is already self-sufficient in producing all of our poultry meat and now we want to be a net exporter. We want to produce more so that we can export to the Caribbean.
The fifteen Heads of Caricom, he pointed out, took a decision to reduce the food import bill.
“If we have to reduce the food import bill, then Guyana has to play that role and you have to ensure that you produce in the various sectors,” Mustapha told the poultry farmers.
He noted that the exercise will continue, pointing out that several thousand birds have already been distributed to communities in hinterland locations.
“We have distributed a number of mead birds across the country and this will continue, but not only in the poultry sector and with the black giant programme that we are doing. Very shortly we will roll out the black belly sheep programme that the President launched a few months ago in Region Five, where Guyana will be producing its own brand to replace the New Zealand brand. So we will have a new brand of mutton coming out of Guyana – the black belly brand,” Mustapha announced.
He noted that the GLDA recently commenced an embryo transplant programme for cattle.

A new abattoir for Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and a sausage processing plant is to be constructed at Garden of Eden in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
Meanwhile, as the agriculture sector continues to expand, Guyana is now producing soya and has stepped up its corn production. This move, Mustapha pointed out, is to ensure that Guyana will be able to meet all of its poultry feed demands. Additionally, the production of red peas and black-eyed peas has been increased to cater for the export market.
“You can see that the agriculture sector is moving rapidly and you will have to come on board. We have to start again things that we had before, things like the small kitchen garden so that we can produce right in our backyards and then we can go into large-scale production. I am happy that 120 persons will receive 20 black giants each. We are working with farmers and we are bringing better-breathing animals and help farmers to have better-breathing animals in the cattle industry, swine industry and small ruminants industry.”
The Agriculture Minister also pointed out that the trial of growing wealth locally has been successful while new varieties of rice will soon become available to farmers.
He was referring to the bio-fortified rice variety which has been tested. Quantities to supply farmers with seeds are currently being harvested. (G4)