Milestone wheat production trials to commence by month end
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

–Minister Mustapha says project will explore 15-20 varieties

WITH global wheat prices at a record high, Guyana will soon commence its first wheat production trial, exploring 15 to 20 different varieties, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, has said.

The minister, speaking on the sidelines of an event at Lusignan, on Wednesday, told reporters that the government is currently in contact with stakeholders in Mexico and is expecting to start the first trial by the end of April.

“We are in contact with our contacts especially in Mexico. We are looking at different varieties of wheat, we are looking by the end of this month latest and we can have the first trial with about 15-20 varieties of wheat to see the best one that can be grown in Guyana,” Minister Mustapha said.

The Agriculture Minister said that the Burma Research Station in Mahaicony, Region Five, has been identified as one of the locations where the trial will commence. But due to various factors, other locations across the country are also being considered.

“We have the rice research station at Burma, we have enough land there, but we also have to look at the climatic condition so there are possibilities that there are different parts of the county that we can have nurseries to see where it can grow better,” Mustapha said.

The surge in wheat and other commodity prices is as a result of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. And, according to available statistics, both nations account for about 30 per cent of the world’s traded wheat.


Speaking about the objective of the wheat trials, Minister Mustapha said the aim is to have Guyana become self-sufficient and not have to depend on imports.

He said: “We are very determined and as long as the trial is successful, we will be going to produce our own wheat because we can’t depend too much on imports, and, as a country, we have to ensure that we produce our own food and be self-sufficient.”

He also related that the COVID-19 pandemic emphasised the need for the country to be self-sufficient in its food production.

“We can have all the money in the world and we would have seen during the pandemic how many countries were suffering to get food because there was a scarcity and in Guyana, we are very fortunate that we produce most of the food that we consume,” Minister Mustapha said.

The pandemic, in some instances, has increased the cost of goods and services between 20 to 145 per cent, while the cost of shipping and logistics has resulted in increases by as much as 200 per cent.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, during the announcement of the possibility of wheat production last month, had said that both the COVID-19 pandemic and the war have led to supply-chain disruptions, which have major economic implications.

The President, however, assured citizens that the government is unwavering in its quest to build a Guyana that is resilient, and a country that meets not only its national responsibility, but plays an important role in executing its global responsibility.

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