The days when Guysuco was a great corporation

Nov 18, 2016 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I found among the archives of the National Farmers Organization, GUYSUCO’s Report and Accounts 1987. Further reading of said report provided  more revelations, on the then  Crop Diversification Programme (CDP). The CDP should be published in  its fullness, so the public can witness how a once prosperous entity has been brought to mendicancy.
Here is a quote from the Chairman’s Statement for 1987. “With regards to diversification, the Corporation continues to press ahead with great enthusiasm. 1987 saw the acquisition of a further 500 pure bred Holstien cows from the USA and, at the time of writing, the rotary milking  parlour at the new Versailles Complex is about to be commissioned. Slurry facilities are nearing completion and the Corporation will shortly be entering into an agreement to purchase a dairy processing plant. During the year, the Corporation successfully concluded negotiations for the purchase of a five ton  rice mill which is expected to be commissioned  by January 1989.
It would be fair to report also, that progress has been made in the development of management systems for the successful cultivation of corn, sorghum and soya beans”. (unquote)
Let us discuss the full Crop Diversification Programme, and show how the Corporation had in the best of time, planned for the citizens.
Crop Diversification Programme- The activities in this sector of our operations now encompass six broad programmes viz. rice, livestock, aquaculture, grain crops, vegetable/root crops and orchard crops.

Rice:
During 1987 a decision was taken to concentrate on our rice cropping at Blairmont estate where the MMA/ADA facilities allow for adequate water control and would therefore facilitate the desired expansion. Just under 3,000 acres of rice were reaped at Skeldon and Blairmount in 1987 of which Skeldon’s contribution of 577 acres would not be continued. The feasibility study on the economics of establishing a rice- processing Complex at Blairmont proved favourable. A contract for the purchase of a 5 ton/hour mill was signed and work began in 1987 on site preparation. The first components of the rice mill arrived in Guyana late in the year and the facility is expected to be completed towards the end of 1988 or 1989.

Livestock:
Dairy activities continued on the three locations Rose Hall, Liliendaal and Uitvlugt, with a total milk production of 106,471 gallons during 1987. A modern milking parlour and dairy facility was commissioned at Liliendaal during the year and is providing for proper cooling and storage of milk prior to distribution. Liliendaal’s output of 74,172 gallons during 1987 is expected to increase to a potential of 150,000 gallons annually when the herd is stabilized to 350 adult animals. A fourth dairy unit was established at Versailles in early December with the arrival of 500 Holstein animals from Virginia, USA, representing the first of three herds to be imported for the Versailles Dairy Processing Complex. Plans are being developed for the setting up of the cheese processing plant by the end of 1988.
A specialised beef fattening unit at Albion is supplied with culled bulls from the dairy units and has already begun to provide beef from the 40 odd animals being prepared there for this purpose. Similar units will be set up at LBI and Uitvlugt estates to cater for culled animals from nearby units.
The Barbados Black Belly sheep Unit at Liliendaal was expanded during 1987 to provide adequate accommodation for the rapidly multiplying flock which more than tripled in less than a year since arrival in early January. From an original flock of 53 sheep, there were 164 animals on location prior to the first slaughter for mutton in November.

Aquaculture:
Seven locations (Rose Hall, Blairmont, Enmore, LBI, Diamond, Wales and Uitvlugt) were involved in tilapia production during 1987, and recorded a total harvesting of 42,972 pounds fish, with 24,383 pounds from Blairmont alone. Praedial larceny and the cost of security measures taken to deal with this problem continue to be the main factors affecting the economics of tilapia production.
Experimental data from Blairmont on supplemental feeding with rice bran indicated there is a potential for increased yield and fish size by adopting this practice commercially. During the year Louisiana craw fish, procambarus clarkii, was introduced at Balirmont/Bath in four 1-acre ponds which previously been planted with rice to provide a source of feed. Monitoring of growth and reproduction suggests that there is evidence of development both in size and numbers and sampling is in progress to estimate yields.
In May/ June cropping season, following the conversion of traditional cane lands to broad beds, 253.8 acres were planted, with corn – 5.1 acres, sorghum – 115.8 aces and soya bean – planted out in the first Varietal Screening Trial.
Preliminary results from the Soya-bean Varietal Screening Trial indicated that nine (9) of the thirty seven (37) introductions showed acceptable levels of yield and adaptability. These, along with three (3) other cultivars were advanced to the seed multiplication phase of the programme.
The acquisition of two (2) combine harvesters, two (2) portable batch type grain dryers, two (2) grain augers and eight (8) bulk storage bins expected in early 1988, would now strengthen the capability of the programme.
Root/Vegetable Crops:
Yams, sweet potatoes and cassava were cultivated with varying levels of success at Enmore, LBI and Diamond estates. Seed potatoes at Diamond realised 18,000 pounds production from 6 acres and a portion of the crop was indirectly exported. Praedial larceny accounted for a good proportion of crop losses suffered. In the meantime work on screening of white potato cultivars continues, and material for 5 varieties which show promise is being bulked up by rapid multiplication technique for direct seeding are being acquired for the onion programme at Blairmont and Enmore in 1988.

Orchard Crops:
The citrus nursery at Uitvlugt is progressing well and over 8,000 seedlings are being prepared for budding. Arrangements are being made to acquire some exotic bud wood to complement locally available material.
I end by asking; where has all of the above gone?
Hafiz Rahman 
Chairman
RURAL PEOPLE

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