–Minister Mustapha says; highlights increased interest among stakeholders

By Bebi Shafeah Oosman

Since returning to office, the PPP/C government has facilitated the growth of aquaculture in Region Six, increasing the number of shrimp ponds from 40 to 150 and ultimately tripling shrimp production earning a total of $1.8 B in 2023.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha on Saturday met with the shrimp farmers in the region where he disclosed that prior to the government’s intervention, brackish water shrimp was being produced 9,833 kg per month.

However, in order to improve the sector, the government offered assistance to those willing to come on board and on that list 80 persons signed on, 55 of which have since received assistance to build and improve their shrimp ponds.

That list has since increased to 125 persons and Mustapha on Saturday assured farmers that they will continue to work through the list offering assistance to everyone so as to build the industry.

According to the Agriculture Minister, shrimp production from January to September has reached a record of 98,159 kg – a record never seen before.

In order to assist all of the farmers, Mustapha devised a plan to have machines, two of which were purchased for the project, be rotated among the farmers to get the work done. He also noted that his ministry will work to procure another machine next year as shrimp farmers increase.

He urged shrimp farmers to ensure that the cost of a bucket of their shrimp remains at an affordable price, noting that the government’s intervention is to also ensure that consumers can afford to purchase the shrimp.

“This money is remaining in the village, in the region, last year y’all earned, all the shrimp farmers in Region Six earned a total of $1.8 billion,” the Agriculture Minister noted.

Sewdat Persaud, Secretary of the East Berbice Aqua Culture Cooperative Society Ltd., in an interview with the Sunday Chronicle, shared that their shrimp farm was established by his father in 1969. After taking over, he expanded the operation, initially focusing on local markets and later reaching out to the diaspora.

According to him, the society informed key government officials, including the President and Ministers about aquaculture’s potential. He explained that since the current government took office this was paid heed to and production has tripled, with the number of shrimp ponds increasing from 40 to over 150 and shrimp production becoming the main source of income for families and over 50 farmers benefitting from the government’s interventions.
Brackish water shrimp farming began over 40 years ago, but in 2021, the government intervened to revitalize the sector resulting in production eventually rising from about 30,000 to 35,000 kilograms per month to over 100,000 kilograms per month, he explained.

Persaud’s own monthly yield increased from 15-20 buckets to 45-60, and although the prices per bucket with 22 pounds is currently $40,000, it sometimes reaches up to $50,000 per bucket; this growth is largely attributed to rising demand from diaspora farmers.

The Ministry of Agriculture, through the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), has also provided support allowing two farmers to export to the diaspora, while persons from the diasporas often purchase from other shrimp farmers during their visit to Guyana thus reducing the reliance on direct government assistance to seek markets for some farmers.

Furthermore, improvements in drainage and irrigation have also been prioritized with the reconstruction of a canal from Belvedere to Albion and the construction of four new sluices.
Farmers have also benefited from polytube irrigation, and training programs in semi-intensive farming conducted by the Fisheries Department in collaboration with the FAO which have significantly enhanced production and livelihoods.

Wazim Baux, another shrimp farmer from Kilcoy, Corentyne, reported that he currently has 16 acres of pond space which his father owned for 33 years. He noted that since government intervention, they have gained more land and harvesting space which has allowed them to employ more people with shrimp farming becoming his primary source of income attributing to his livelihood.

Farmers are shifting from extensive to semi-intensive systems because of increased training. This transition has transformed shrimp farming from a hobby to a full-time, profitable venture, the shrimp farmers in the Central Corentyne Area relayed.

Guyana earned approximately $1.8 billion from the production of brackish water shrimp last year due to the government’s heavy focus on increased food production and economic growth.

The government created policies to build on current programmes and provide cutting-edge, technology-based initiatives to further improve the fisheries sector, demonstrating its recognition of the sector’s importance.

Guyana recorded a total of 815,496 kilograms of shrimp being produced for the period between January to November 2023. This shows a 49 per cent increase when compared to the 548,900 kilogrammes produced over the same period in 2022.

Mustapha previously highlighted that the production of brackish water shrimp, which is being conducted along the Corentyne Coast, continues to produce massive outcomes since its commencement.

Additionally, at the opening of the Berbice Expo and Trade Fair last week, Minister Mustapha noted that the government is making targeted investments in Berbice as the region continues to lead in agricultural productivity. He pointed out that the Ministry of Agriculture has invested in the Onverwagt Prawns Project in Region 5, which is expected to yield 360 tonnes of Vannamei prawns per year, valued at $1.44 billion.