GUYANA’S push to bolster food security will be anchored by the soon-to-be-completed Yarrowkabra Food Hub, which will scale up storage and processing and reduce post-harvest losses for local producers, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has stated.
During a recent address, the minister said that Guyana is being positioned as a regional food-producing hub and the Yarrowkabra food hub is central to this vision, as it will aid in improving quality and the standards of regional and international markets.
The food hub is expected to serve as a key facility for storage, processing, and distribution, providing a central location to support Guyana’s expanding agricultural output, while boosting trade within the region.
The government of Guyana last January signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with renowned United States (U.S.)-based company Blumberg Grain and Logistics.
The agreement was inked at the Ministry of Agriculture’s main boardroom on Regent Street and paved the way for the establishment of the state-of-the-art regional food hub at Yarrowkabra, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.
The Yarrowkabra Food Hub, once completed, is expected to significantly boost Guyana’s export capabilities, reduce post-harvest losses to as low as five per cent and provide new manufacturing and processing facilities. It is also expected to serve as the base from which Guyana can strengthen trade across CARICOM and South America, while laying the foundation for entry into U.S. and other international markets.
The commencement of phase one of the project took place in 2023, accompanied by an investment totalling $187 million. This project aligns with Guyana’s and the Caribbean Community’s CARICOM target of addressing food insecurities.
“Our ambition is bold and achievable. Guyana will be the largest agro- processing economy in the region. The food hub is not just a facility. It is a launchpad for this transformation,” Minister Mustapha stated.
The minister also noted that the government has invested in a cassava-processing facility at Parika, which will support more than 200 farmers by purchasing fresh cassava and producing over three tonnes of cassava flour per day. This facility will become operational in early 2026 and will help promote a healthier and locally produced alternative to imported flour.
Over the past month, he said there has been engagements with ANSA McAL and Massy Stores to create new opportunities for Guyanese products to reach supermarket shelves across multiple Caribbean destinations.
“These partnerships open doors, but it is now up to our agro-processors to seize these opportunities and scale up production,” he stated.
With the government steadfast on converting Guyana into a leader in value-added food production and producers requiring access to capital, Minister Mustapha said this is where the Guyana Development Bank stands as a critical pillar of this transformation.
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) will be able to access up to $10 million in zero-collateral loans through this bank, which is expected to become fully operational before the end of the first quarter of 2026 and will receive an initial injection of US$200 million from the government.
“This is the missing link in the value-added, chain-affordable financing that empowers our people to produce, innovate more and earn more,” the minister stated.
Additionally, to accelerate this transformation, the government has extended to agriculture and agro-processing, the same fiscal space traditionally reserved for health and education, Minister Mustapha said.
He first pointed to the removal of corporate tax within agriculture, along with the implementation of unprecedented incentives that cover a number of elements from primary production to manufacturing, packaging and distribution, and fertiliser.
Beyond tax relief, the government went a step further by directly supporting producers with the provision of free fertilisers, planting materials, and shade houses.
These initiatives were all designed to make farming more viable and to ensure a steady, affordable food supply for our growing population.
