PEOPLE’S Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary and Guyana’s Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has reaffirmed that the government is moving ahead with its plans to transform Berbice into a major agro-industrial hub.

He told reporters this during a press conference on Thursday at Freedom House, Robb Street.

The Vice-President noted that thousands of new farmlands will be set aside to advance the agricultural development.

He said: “In the Berbice area, we have already made it clear that with the land in Skeldon, the factory, about 26,000 acres plus another 40,000 from the farmers there and then with the road from Moleson Creek to Orella that we’re proposing, which we put some money in the budget next year on, that will open up more lands.”

Dr. Jagdeo added that this will be about at minimum 100,000 or 150,000 acres of land will be used to create an agro-industrial complex.

Earlier this year, Dr. Jagdeo had stated that, 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.

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, he 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, Dr. 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.

Dr. 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.

He had mentioned that these farmers collectively have about 40,000 acres of land, while GuySuCo controls approximately 26,000 acres.

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