T&T company joins Guyana-Barbados food terminal project

– project slated for 2026 completion

Plans for the Guyana-Barbados food terminal have been expanded with the inclusion of a Trinidad-based company as a third partner, set to bolster the development and operations of the facility.
This was revealed by Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, during his end-of-year press briefing last week. Initially announced in 2022, the food terminal aims to enhance food security, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and boost economic growth in the region.
Originally planned for construction at Lears, St Michael, Barbados, the multi-purpose facility will feature 45 containers, cold storage, packaging and processing plants, a large water reservoir, and land designated for crop production.
According to Mustapha, the Agriculture Ministry is highly looking forward to the completion of this initiative by the end of 2026.
“That food terminal is still ongoing. We have seen the private sector getting involved and the construction in Barbados is still ongoing and that is still a project in progress and we are hoping that we can get this finished by the end of next year (2026).”

To top it off, he added that the new Trinidadian company will also be assuming work in Guyana.
“I should have mentioned this too – the same company that is now part of this project between Guyana and Barbados, that company will be coming to Guyana to set up and we are already working closely with them so it will not only be a project between Guyana and Barbados, it will be Guyana, Barbados and the private sector company from Trinidad.”
When it comes on stream, the project should provide a boost to both the Barbadian and Guyanese economies, while also contributing to regional food security efforts.
As such, with this facility coming on board, export revenue is expected to double for the country.
Back in May of 2022, Guyana Times reported that President Dr Irfaan Ali, and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, visited the site where the Guyana-Barbados Food Terminal will be built.
President Dr Irfaan Ali relayed that the initiative will see the two countries seeking to address the hurdles of transportation and logistics in the Region and is not only aimed at helping the movement of products and reducing the cost of local produce but also providing the opportunity to access new markets.
He revealed that it’s important for the two countries to believe that the initiative can be undertaken.
“We must believe that we can do it. We must stop thinking narrowly that we cannot achieve these things… We’re setting bold targets. We are working on bold and innovative ideas. At the end of it, it is only bold thinking, bold initiatives, and pursuing those initiatives and ideas that would ensure we are successful,” Ali had asserted.
According to the Head of State, the aim is to create a value chain for development in the region. He further dismissed naysayers who are claiming that the region’s plan is too ambitious, noting that there needs to be proactive action by all stakeholders.
There are also plans for Guyana and Barbados to set up Trade and Investment Facilitation offices in each other’s countries.