By Bebi Shafeah Oosman

AGRICULTURE Minister Zulfikar Mustapha recently announced that the government is taking steps to reduce Guyana’s dependence on imported hatching eggs as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s poultry industry and boost local agricultural production.

“I want to tell you; I want to break the news that we are working also to reduce the importation of hatching eggs to our country,” he said.

According to Mustapha, Guyana imports approximately 54 million hatching eggs. “We have started to produce hatching eggs and for the first time last year, we produced close to a million hatching eggs,” he said.

He then revealed that they have already signed an agreement with a private investor, “who will be going into the production of hatching eggs.”

By expanding local capacity to produce hatching eggs, the government hopes to provide poultry farmers with a more reliable supply, reduce production costs and create additional opportunities for investment and employment within the industry.

Meanwhile, a major investment in Guyana’s poultry industry was officially commissioned on Sunday last when businessman Haji ‘Pampy’ Ishmail opened a multimillion-dollar chicken processing facility at Lot 9 Fyrish Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice.

The state-of-the-art facility, which has the capacity to process approximately 1,000 chickens per hour and an estimated 8,000 daily, is said to be the largest of its kind in Region Six and the third largest in Guyana.

The investment represents a significant boost to the local poultry industry, with the potential to increase processing capacity, create employment opportunities and contribute to the country’s growing agricultural sector.

Mustapha noted that he was told that Ishmail will also be involved in hatching eggs “and that will help us to reduce importation of hatching eggs.”

“So, I want to compliment him, I want to thank him,” he noted.

Last Sunday Mustapha explained that while the new facility is expected to generate revenue for its owners, its wider significance lies in the economic opportunities it will create for residents of Region Six, particularly through employment and increased activity within the poultry industry.

He had emphasised that such investments benefit Guyanese regardless of their political affiliation, race or religious background.
“As Minister of Agriculture, I am pleased to see investment of this nature,” Mustapha said, highlighting the government’s continued efforts under President Ali’s leadership to strengthen national food security and expand agricultural production.

The minister pointed out that Guyana’s agricultural transformation is not simply about increasing the quantity of food produced, but also about developing the infrastructure necessary to process agricultural products locally.

He explained that for too long, the country had relied heavily on the production and export of primary agricultural commodities, stressing that investments in processing facilities are critical to expanding value-added production.

“We do not want Guyana simply to produce more, but we want Guyana to have more processing facilities,” he stated.

Mustapha noted that the commissioning of the Fyrish facility aligns with the government’s plan of modernising agriculture, expanding agro-processing and positioning Guyana as a major contributor to regional food security.

Highlighting the growth of the poultry industry, the minister disclosed that production has increased from approximately 41,000 metric tonnes to 91,000 metric tonnes, reflecting the significant expansion taking place within the sector.

He had also said facilities such as the one commissioned at Fyrish will play an important role in supporting further growth by strengthening processing capacity and creating additional opportunities for poultry farmers.

Mustapha also underscored the importance of private-sector participation in Guyana’s development, noting that the government’s responsibility is to create an enabling environment in which local entrepreneurs can confidently invest and expand their businesses.

He credited the administration’s policies and investment climate for encouraging major undertakings such as the Fyrish poultry processing facility.