Aquaculture masterplan in crafting stage –President Ali
-Forms part of Government’s economic diversification agenda
His Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali said that Government is in the process of formulating an aquaculture masterplan which will form part of the country’s agriculture diversification programme.
The Head of State made this disclosure yesterday during a site visit to the Pritipaul Singh Investment Inc. (PSI) Providence facility, where he viewed plans underway for the company’s expanded operations.
“As you know, we are supposed to have a conference on aquaculture. So, we are putting together the plans for an aquaculture masterplan and to identify one corridor. Right now, we are looking at Region Five because they have all the right conditions for aquaculture… also we are looking at other areas as part of the diversified economy that we’re talking about.”
President Ali initially announced plans for the hosting of the high-level aquaculture conference while speaking at the Guyana/European Union joint press conference on December 10, 2020, where he explained that the conference would help Guyana define a “pathway as to how we can develop the aquaculture industry to the extent that we are globally competitive and become a serious player in the market.”
During the site visit yesterday, President Ali used the opportunity to elaborate on particulars of the plan.
“So, the plan is to build up aquaculture to increase our production, to increase volume, reduce cost … of course in another three years our energy costs will come down. But we are also looking at value added in the protein plant from natural gas to see how that can also support not only the livestock industry but the aquaculture industry.”
On this note, the President pointed to the importance of finding a “synergy” in both the aquaculture and livestock industry.
“We have to look at the output of the livestock industry as an input to the aquaculture industry and to see how you can first of all build the capacity, increase the volume, get the market and then satisfy that capacity with local inputs. That is the master plan in a nutshell.”
He said that talks between Government and the livestock industry have unearthed a desire for them to diversify and enter into corn and soya production.
Meanwhile, PSI’s CEO, Mr. Pritipaul Singh assured the Head of State that the Government can count on PSI as a driving force to support the aquaculture drive. He said too that part of his company’s responsibility in building Guyana’s economy lies in supporting fishermen and those in the industry.
Mr. Singh lauded the President for his commitment to developing the country’s aquaculture sector.
“I like what you said that you have a master plan and in this master plan if we can have the studies done to support all the stages in the development of the sector… you can count on PSI as a driving force to support this aquaculture drive. You have our 100% support,” the CEO said.
President Ali and his team were taken on a guided tour of PSI’s expanding operations at Providence, they were also privy to first-hand experience of the processing of shrimp, fish and tuna at the Mc Doom facility.
PSI is a diversified fish and shrimp processing producer in Guyana. Their operations consist of several entities which aid in the harvesting, processing, packaging and storage of seafoods.