Work to commence soon on multimillion-dollar pasteurising plant in Reg 5 – Agri Minister

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha has disclosed that a new multimillion-dollar pasteurising plant will soon be established in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) by a private investor, creating employment opportunities for residents.
Canada-based Amaya Milk Company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) and the Ministry of Agriculture in March 2021 for the establishment of a $75 million milk plant to process, bottle and sell high quality pasteurised cow’s milk in the local market. The facility will be set up at Onverwagt, in Region Five.
As such, during a meeting with farmers from the region on Saturday, Minister Mustapha indicated that the Government is seeking out a portion of land for the project.

“The investor has already brought in all his equipment into the country, the General Manager and the Board of MMA-ADA are now looking to see a proper piece of land so that the investor can set up his milk plant,” the Minister said, according to a DPI report.
Work on the project should begin over the next two months, Minister Mustapha added. He said agriculture is once again being prioritised in Guyana’s development.

“Last year people were talking about waiting until the oil sector comes on stream; all the revenue from the oil and gas we will have to develop our country. Now people are not only talking about the oil and gas sector. As a Government, we also want to develop all the sectors of our country. We want a resilient country, not one that depends on only one sector,” he posited.
The Minister went on to reiterate that agriculture, mining, construction, oil and gas must all contribute to Guyana’s development. He said when a country depends on one sector and that sector fails, it can have devastating effects on the economy.
Further, Minister Mustapha stressed that agriculture creates jobs, wealth and food security, and he noted that Guyana is leading the agriculture agenda across the Caribbean.
“In the last two years we have seen our country surrender its position to St Vincent and the Grenadines, they were talking about agriculture. Comrades, I am very proud today, that our very young vibrant President is now the leading spokesperson on agriculture in Caricom,” he stated.
According to reports earlier this year, Amaya Milk Company has already secured agreements with five large-scale cattle farmers in the Mahaica-Berbice region to deliver approximately 100 gallons of fresh cow’s milk every day to the plant when it is operationalised.
It was reported that the project will be rolled out in two phases. In the first phase, focus will be on the production of milk, starting with whole milk and two per cent milk before expanding the line to flavoured milk later on.
The second phase will see the expansion of the milk plant in about two years with a larger-scale production.