–as President Ali announces $2B initiative to provide one bag of fertiliser for every acre of farmland

FARMERS are set to benefit from a $2 billion fertiliser subsidy as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to support the agriculture sector.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali made the announcement during a community engagement at the Hydronie Market Tarmac in Parika, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
The president noted that the funds will be transferred within the coming days to ensure that every acre of farmland receives one bag of fertiliser.

“We are going to transfer, within the coming days, that $2 billion in fertiliser subsidy to ensure that for every single acre of agriculture, we are going to give one bag of fertiliser,” President Ali said.

The Head of State reminded the audience that just a few weeks ago, the government transferred $2.7 billion directly to rice farmers to ensure they would receive at least $4,000 per bag when international market prices collapses.
“Point to one other country that would have intervened in such a way when the market prices collapsed,” he said
Since taking office, the PPP/C Administration has implemented a number of measures aimed at enhancing productivity, and reducing input costs for farmers, in keeping with its broader food security agenda.

“This has been our efforts, continuously, since we came into office. And that is why, my friends, when you look at the numbers, between 2020 and March 2025, almost 2 million tonnes of rice was exported from Guyana, valued at more than US$1 billion,” he asserted.
He continued, “And that, my friends, is as a result of our commitment to the rice farmers.”
President Ali also highlighted the hardships rice farmers faced under the previous coalition administration.

“The same government that promised $9,000 per bag, instead of giving that when the banks were taking away their land and machinery, they were told that rice is private business,” he reminded the audience.

The President noted that one of the first actions taken by the PPP/C government upon assuming office in 2020 was to engage commercial banks to reschedule the loans of rice farmers.
“We asked them to help our rice farmers; to recapitalise our rice farmers,” he said.
In addition to these efforts, the government has invested billions of dollars in drainage and irrigation works to support farmers.

The President highlighted that two excavators have already been assigned to Hubu and Ruby in Region Three.
“But we are not contented with that. I have asked the Minister of Agriculture to deploy two more excavators to these communities, so that we can ramp up the hours that will be given to farmers, so that we can increase production,” President Ali further announced.

He further said that two mobile pumps will also be procured by the end of the year to enhance support for farmers in the area. (DPI)