Latest update April 13th, 2025 1:30 AM
Latest News
- ‘Blink Beauty by Ary’ always treating you to a glamorous look
- From joblessness to success
- A business inspired by a gift for her teacher
- LOCAL TESTING LABS CAN IMPROVE CONFORMANCE AND CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE WITH ISO STANDARD
- Literacy Must Come First — Why Literacy is the Foundation of Innovation and the Key to Guyana’s Digital Future
Govt. in talks with GuySuCo to revive private cane farming in Region 3-Pres. Ali
Kaieteur News- Talks are currently ongoing between the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Ministry of Agriculture to revive private farming of sugarcane in Region Three.
President Irfaan Ali.
During a recent outreach to Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara, President Irfaan Ali told residents that he has asked GuySuco to present him with a plan that could be implemented to assist farmers to prepare their lands for private farming.
“The economy that we are building. You know, in this community, issues that you are faced with is that when the estates, when the sugar industry, took a hit, you had no capital investment to go back in your private cane farming. Am I not right?”
He explained that he was aware that the investments made in preparation of the land to supply cane from these private farms to the mill were lost, but now the government has to find a formula and that is where the Agriculture Ministry and GuySuco come in.
“In getting back to private cane farming, we have to ensure that we build a sector in which they are paid a fair price for their cane so that they can be successful. That is what we are working on when we talk about building out opportunity at the community level.”
The government has been pumping billions of dollars into what economists say is a dying sugar industry.
In December 2020, just three months after the sugar corporation was allocated some $3 billion, the government returned to the National Assembly requesting an additional $4 billion.
While the previous $3 billion was to recapitalise the three estates closed by the former APNU+AFC Government at Rose Hall, Skeldon, and Enmore, the $4 billion was requested to support the recapitalisation of the three operating estates at Blairmont, Albion and Uitvlugt.
Up against intense scrutiny from the APNU+AFC parliamentary opposition, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha told the National Assembly that because of the neglect the three operating estates were subjected critical capital works had become necessary.
In January of 2022 the Kaieteur News reported that in Budget 2022, the PPP government set aside a whopping $6 billion for GuySuCo to be used to enhance field operations and packaging capabilities, with the hope of reviving the sector, which continues to record yearly decreasing production rates.
In December of the same year the Ministry of Agriculture secured an additional $3 billion to provide resources for operational expenses at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).
Of the sum approved, a total of $1 billion was injected into advancing works at GuySuCo, while the remaining $2 billion went towards advancing NDIA’s operations. Mustapha had explained that the money would be spent on rehabilitating critical areas in the factories, while enhancing and expanding cultivation in the cane fields.
In the 2025 budget GuySuco received a whopping $ 13.3 billion for what the finance minister said was for the “continued revitalisation of the sugar industry.”
The minister told the National Assembly that, “in 2025, an additional 3,068 hectares of land will be converted to support mechanisation. Key investments will be made to acquire additional field equipment, rehabilitate field infrastructure, and construct over 17 kilometres of all-weather roads across the industry.”
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The mirage of citizen investment
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The latest song and dance from the corridors of political power in Guyana comes wrapped... more
The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- Recent media stories have suggested that King Charles III could “invite” the United... more
Weekend Cartoon
