–along Upper Corentyne

WITH the aim of further transforming Berbice into an agricultural hub that can feed both the nation and the Caribbean region, the government is working on developing 62,000 acres of land from Moleson Creek to the Skeldon belt.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed this during a press conference at Freedom House on Thursday.
Noting that he’d discussed the matter with Berbicians during a recent engagement, Jagdeo said: “We spoke of expanding, not just converting GuySuCo, but right now we’re working and turning 62,000 acres of land into an agro-industrial complex in the Skeldon area.”

The proposed facility will include hemp and tobacco, and a whole range of orchard crops that will make that area an agricultural hub that can process food and export, to diversify the economy in Berbice, Jagdeo said.

Money has already been allocated for some of the infrastructure, while a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed to commence cultivation on the lands, he stated.
During a recent meeting with residents in the Upper Corentyne area, Jagdeo announced plans to develop an agro-processing zone in the East Berbice-Corentyne region.
This initiative is designed to boost agricultural production, create employment opportunities, and increase value-added processing for local produce.

He said that sugarcane cultivation will continue in the Upper Corentyne area, while tobacco farming will also be introduced as part of the region’s agricultural expansion.
Jagdeo said that an investor is already on board, and plans are in progress to establish a new tobacco industry, which is expected to contribute to economic growth and diversification.
This initiative is in line with the government’s broader vision of modernising and strengthening the agricultural sector by attracting investment, boosting productivity, and ensuring sustainable development, he said.

He noted that he had met twice with farmers in the Upper Corentyne area, who are part of various cooperatives, to discuss the future of their lands, and plans to transform them into a new growth hub.

Jagdeo had mentioned that these farmers collectively have about 40,000 acres of land, while GuySuCo controls approximately 26,000 acres.
“If we can combine the two, that’s over 60,000 acres of land to put into cultivation. We can create a massive number of jobs, investment opportunities, and also an agro-processing zone right here,” the Vice-President told residents.

He added: “We are going to have discussions with Suriname, because we need the infrastructure to move the product. Even if they are processing there, using the Corentyne River, we have already engaged in those discussions.”

Jagdeo highlighted that since being elected to office, his government has undertaken an unprecedented scale of development across key sectors, including infrastructure, health, and education.