EVERGREEN Egypt United, a leading company in the field of fish farming, fish farms, and marine fisheries has signalled its interest in Guyana.

According to information provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, the company is hoping to set up operations here through the establishment of fish and shrimp hatcheries, a fish and shrimp-feeding plant and production factory, as well as a research and development laboratory.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, on Tuesday met with a team of investors from the company as part of ongoing discussions.

According to the ministry, Minister Mustapha said that Guyana is advancing the production of brackish water shrimp, as well as embarking on cage culture.

The ministry has commenced the groundwork for the rearing of brackish water shrimp in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), which is expected to further increase Guyana’s production levels.
Earlier this month, the Guyana Chronicle had reported that farmers were able to produce 182.89 tonnes (182,890 kilograms) of brackish water shrimp in the first quarter, earning over $274 million.

This, compared to the corresponding period in 2022, showed a 50 per cent increase in the activity. Some 37 farms in Region Six (East Berbice -Corentyne) have been developed, comprising a total of 133 ponds.

In a previous report, Minister Mustapha had said: “In July 2021, farmers were producing just about 10,000 kilograms monthly; just about 120,000 kilograms annually. We announced that this was the direction we wanted to take, and that farmers would be given the support to expand. To date, we’ve been able to construct 133 ponds, and this has contributed to us exceeding initial production figures.”

In an effort to boost productivity, the Government of Guyana has partnered with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to conduct a study and gather information for the piloting and implementation of a strategy to enhance shrimp production in Guyana and several other Caribbean States.

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture received three manuals that were developed collaboratively by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the World Wildlife Fund–Guianas (WWF-Guianas), and its Fisheries Department. One of the manuals will be used to guide brackish water shrimp production in Guyana.