Govt pursuing agriculture development in all regions – GS Jagdeo

The government has continuously supported agricultural development in the various regions of Guyana.

This was reiterated on Thursday by Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) at his weekly press conference where he was at the time responding to recent assertions by the opposition that there has been no increase in food production in Regions 1, 7, and 10, and part of Region 4.

“We’ve supported more agricultural initiatives in [Region] 10, 7, 1, than APNU ever supported in any part of the country, and that’s a fact”, Jagdeo said while making the point that when “You talk to people in the Berbice river, in the Demerara River or Linden itself, there is support on D&I and agriculture. They’ve had more support on agriculture.”

He noted that under the APNU+AFC administration, the government increased land fees at MMA from $3500 dollars per acre for land and water charges to $15,000 dollars per acre per annum.

In addition, the same government added taxes to machinery and equipment for agriculture, pesticides, and fertilizers etc.

“Granger said to the rice farmers, you cannot expect any support from the government. This is a private industry. The seven thousand agriculture workers, sugar workers, were sent off. So, credibility on agriculture is a poor thing again. It’s a zero credibility on agriculture,” Dr Jagdeo stated.

Dr Jagdeo acknowledged that there is a need for more agriculture extension services in the various regions, but also highlighted the prospects for agriculture development in region one for example.

“We are looking at the possibility for upgrading now the terminals in region one [and] the wharves so we can ship directly into the Caribbean. We’re sending better breeding stocks into the region,” he noted.

He noted that in the last two years more than 7000 swine have been distributed along with planting materials.

He stated too that in certain communities there are challenges as drought has affected crops communities like Apoteri and Rewa.

The general secretary noted too this is challenging for food security there.

“So, it’s a tough situation in these areas too. A lot of them they don’t export their agricultural products. They utilize it mainly for subsistent purposes in these regions, but our work has been to bolster production in all of these areas,” Dr Jagdeo stated.