By Bebi Shafeah Oosman
OVER 5,000 citrus plants have been handed over to farmers along the East Bank of Berbice, as the government continues to expand agricultural production and deliver on commitments made to farming communities.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Friday distributed the planting material and fertiliser, fulfilling a commitment he had made to farmers during a previous outreach to the area.
He stated, “I made a commitment that time that we will give approximately 5,000 citrus plants to the farmers on the East Bank of Berbice.”
The plants, sourced through the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), include several varieties of citrus such as lime, orange, tangerine, lemon and grapefruit.
The distribution comes as farmers continue to expand cultivation following land-clearing and other agricultural interventions being undertaken along the East Bank of Berbice.
Minister Mustapha said the distribution represents only part of the government’s wider plans for the area, stressing that President, Dr Irfaan Ali has placed significant emphasis on unlocking the agricultural potential of communities along the East Bank of Berbice.
He recalled that during a visit to the area, President Ali committed to having works enhanced, particularly in relation to land clearing and drainage and irrigation infrastructure.
“This is important because this area here in Berbice is an area that we have big plans to develop the agriculture sector,” Mustapha said.
According to the minister, the East Bank of Berbice has historically played an important role in agricultural production and possesses significant amounts of fertile land that can once again be brought into productive use.
As such, he said the government intends to work alongside farmers to realise that potential by providing the necessary infrastructure, planting materials and other forms of support.
Mustapha pointed out that the area “used to make a large contribution to the country,” adding, “so we want to ensure we go back into that area because we have a lot of land here, the lands are fertile, we will continue to assist the farmers.”
Further, the minister related that he recently brought together the owners and operators from the hospitality industry “because you know these hotels normally bring in produce from overseas, so I talked to them and said look now we have to link farmers with the hotels, so whatever we are producing, they will purchase.”
Mustapha added, “We will continue to work with them and they will supply their needs to us what they are using in the hospitality industry and we will work with farmers to produce those crops.”
During his previous visit to the East Bank Berbice community, Mustapha had underscored the long-term importance of agriculture to Guyana’s economy and food security, noting that the sector will continue to play a critical role in the country’s development despite the rapid growth of the oil and gas industry.
He had further urged farmers to recognise the opportunities that are emerging within the sector and to embrace modern methods of production.
The Agriculture Minister had stressed that Guyana cannot continue to practise agriculture in the same manner as previous generations if the country is to increase productivity, remain competitive and take advantage of expanding regional markets.
“When we plant and go into production, we have to go into large-scale production. We have to plant crops that are easily marketable and things that are needed,” the minister said.
While acknowledging that small-scale farming remains important for household income, community consumption and local food security, Mustapha had said the country’s broader agricultural ambitions require farmers to increasingly examine commercial-scale production and market demand.
