–in ongoing push for food security

AGRICULTURE Minister Zulfikar Mustapha underscored the vital role millers play in shaping the region’s future food security, during his address at the 28th General Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Millers Association at the Pegasus Suites on Tuesday.
In keeping with the theme of the meeting: “Navigating Global Shifts: Inflation, Tariffs, and Market Opportunities in a Changing World”, Minister Mustapha emphasised that the Caribbean’s heavy dependence on external grain markets has left it vulnerable to global shocks.

He told participants that it was time for regional players to shift from being price-takers in global markets to becoming price-shapers in a more integrated and self-sufficient regional economy.
Minister Mustapha reaffirmed Guyana’s leadership in the regional initiative to reduce the food import bill by 25% by 2025 +5, stressing that achieving food security requires strong value-chain collaboration.
He added: “Millers are central to this transformation. Your ability to innovate, adapt, and collaborate will determine the resilience of our food systems in the years ahead.”
Highlighting Guyana’s ongoing modernisation efforts, he pointed to the National Milling Company (NAMILCO)’s G$10 billion investment in a new processing mill, expanded wheat storage, and upgraded port infrastructure, along with the government’s partnership on cassava flour development.
“As we build capacity for alternative flours, Guyana is positioning itself, as a supplier, not only to domestic markets but to the wider Caribbean,” Minister Mustapha said.
He further related that inflation, trade barriers, and logistics remain pressing challenges, and assured stakeholders that through the CARICOM Ministerial Taskforce on Agriculture, are working to remove non-tariff barriers and create a more predictable environment for millers.