VICE-PRESIDENT Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo recently shared a straightforward economic truth: If Guyana does not grow enough food for its people, they will end up paying more for it.
This is not just a political catchphrase. It reflects the basic logic of supply and demand, and it should be taken seriously.
At a farmer consultation led by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, VP Jagdeo was direct when answering a farmer’s question about rising food prices.
He pointed out that the country is not producing enough of what Guyanese are eating, and this gap in production is a major reason why households are feeling the pressure of higher living costs.
This issue is not happening in a vacuum. The global situation is making it worse. The recent conflict between the United States and Iran has created shockwaves in global oil and shipping markets, adding more strain to an already fragile international supply chain.
With rising oil prices and shipping disruptions likely to increase the cost of imported goods, countries that rely heavily on imports are particularly at risk. Guyana needs to face this reality before it becomes unmanageable.
What makes VP Jagdeo’s comments particularly persuasive is that he used everyday examples that regular Guyanese can easily understand. He observed that as living standards improve, more people are consuming meat — more chicken, beef, and mutton — but local production has not matched this increase in consumption.
The statistics are striking: A pound of mutton costs about US$4.99 in the United States, but can sell for as much as US$11 here.
This price difference exists not due to some mysterious market force, but because Guyana does not produce enough, so suppliers set the prices higher. When there is a shortage, sellers have more control.
The situation with cassava provides another clear example. When the government offered farmers $40 a pound, and promised to build a processing mill, prices jumped to $125 a pound almost overnight, making the entire project financially unfeasible before it could even start.
This highlights a structural weakness: Well-intentioned policies can be quickly undermined when speculation takes advantage of low domestic supply. The solution, as the VP wisely pointed out, is to tackle the supply issue at its core.
Speaking about rice — the nation’s key staple — VP Jagdeo provided a realistic but concerning outlook. Increasing labour costs might someday threaten this staple’s reliability, marking diversification and higher yields as essential, not optional. The message is clear: Small-scale, low-productivity farms are not enough for a country at this stage of development. Agriculture and livestock must be considered legitimate industries that are organised, financially supported, and competitive.
The VP wrapped up his remarks with a clear point that should resonate throughout the sector: “If they go into it as an industry, I’m sure we can compete with any part of the world. But if you do it at a low-productivity level, then the country suffers. Ordinary people suffer.”
This is the heart of the issue. Increasing domestic production is not just an agricultural plan; it is a social and economic necessity.
Ultimately, VP Jagdeo’s message emphasises urgency and possibility, rather than blame. Guyana has the land, water, and capacity to feed itself and even more. The call to produce more is a call to tap into that potential before the costs of inaction fall on ordinary Guyanese at the market.
