Guyana can save almost US$60 million annually if corn, soya are grown twice per year

-Min. Mustapha

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha has emphasised that Guyana stands to save almost US$60 million annually if corn and soya bean are grown twice per year.

During Thursday night’s episode of Guyana Dialogue, Minister Mustapha underscored that Guyana is poised to become self-sufficient to produce all of its livestock feed by the end of 2025, while reducing its dependency on imports.

Close to 10,000 acres of corn and soya beans were produced in 2023.  

“By the end of this year, we will move corn and soya production roughly to about 12,000 acres. If we do that two times per year, we will produce all the livestock feed and we will save approximately US$60 million annually. At the same time, we will be a net exporter,” he further divulged.

Minister Mustapha continued, “We are now going into large-scale production of corn and soya…We are hoping that, by the end of next year, we can cultivate 25,000 acres of corn and soya.”

Also, the cost for meat especially poultry will be reduced significantly.

Government’s collaboration with the private sector to implement the development of corn and soya bean has been very successful.

Over the last three years, more than $1.4 billion was spent to develop the infrastructure within the Tacama area to meet the region’s production and cultivation goals.

Some 41 kilometres of roads were constructed in the Tacama area.

The agriculture minister further revealed that the 12,000-tonne silo which was built will be extended to a 18,000-tonne silo to process the corn and soya.

Currently, the access wharf in the Tacama area is under construction, with completion expected in 2024.

The sum of $967.8 million has been budgeted in 2024 to increase the capacity of the Tacama facility which will include the installation of a conveyor system.

Guyana is continuously diversifying its robust agriculture sector with the introduction of new crops to achieve food security.