Dear Editor,

WE will not dispute that Guyana, even though advancing in technology, is still a country that is steeped in livestock, nationally and individually. We all know too that even though we are managing fairly well, we can do far better in terms of exacting a bigger profit margin in this area. Well, it seems as though our dream may be realised quite soon, and I am saying this based on a commitment made by His Excellency, Dr. Irfaan Ali.
According to the Head of State, the local demand for animal and bird feed is soon to be met, as trials are ongoing for soya and corn crops. The President is quite optimistic that production would come on stream by 2023, and this industry will indeed get a deserved fillip. In fact, so close is this realisation that Agriculture Ministers, Zulfikar Mustapha and his Surinamese counterpart, Parmanand Sewdien, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost agricultural trade between Guyana and Suriname, as well as to find foreign markets for their produce. All of this I gleaned from the recently held joint press conference that was hosted by the Guyana Head of State and his Surinamese counterpart, President Chandrikapersad Santokhi.

From a Guyana perspective, rearing livestock is traditionally profitable, and with our vast landmass, we should venture more and more in this area.  Too many times we have been stymied for some silly reason, and with hope for greater productivity and profit, smuggling of meat from Suriname will be nullified.
In terms of agriculture, the industry is gaining momentum as it should be, since food security is a major world issue, and the sooner Guyana can foster a healthy agricultural climate, the better it will be for both national and external gains. In fact, President Ali noted that “… extensive discussions were held, and the two countries have agreed on a strategy that would see them supporting each other in entering the North American, European, and regional markets.” Of immediate interest is that Guyana and Suriname will shortly examine the possibilities in the poultry sector, so as to harness the potential in satisfying requirements of the Caribbean Community (Caricom). This will point us in the direction of truly regaining the tag of the “food basket’ of the region. I call on all the stakeholders to work assiduously in ensuring all the soya and corn requirements for the poultry industry, the feed for the livestock industry, be produced locally by 2023, as our leaders want to take Guyana to the next level.

Yours respectfully,

Alvin Hamilton