Budget 2021 will support non-traditional crops

…coconuts, vegetable, citrus, corn and soybean cultivation to receive investment

In the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) 2021 Budget, great focus will be placed on Guyana’s non-traditional crops and the important role they play in providing a livelihood for many Guyanese.

Presenting the Budget to the National Assembly on Friday, was Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh.

He announced that over $1.2B will go to supporting the operations of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) which works to promote greater efficiency in the crops and agricultural product industry.

Added to this, the budget will support the establishment of over 100 shade houses countrywide to increase vegetable production while assistance will be assistance given to farmers in the Pomeroon, the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and Region Three for increased production of citrus.

Coconut production was highlighted by the Minister as the “new frontier crop of the sector”. The Government will fund the establishment of four new coconut nurseries at Wakenaan, Leguan, Canal Number 2 and Number 63 village in the Corentyne.

Technical training on inter-cropping cultivation will be provided to farmers to help them optimize their returns in this regard. Meanwhile, the private sector will invest in over 1,000 acres of coconut estates in the near term. Budget 2021 will provide over $70M to the Hope coconut estate.

This year, corn and soybeans will also be focused on with 100 acres of planting material to be cultivated to support corn made available for farmers at affordable prices.

Agricultural infrastructure, agro-processing and packaging facilities will receive $832M in the budget directly benefitting the communities of Lesbeholdel, Parika, Sophia, St. Ignatius, Aranaputa, Kara Kara and the intermediate savannahs.

“Farmers will now have access to affordable state-of-the-art, processing and packaging at reduced operation costs,” Dr. Singh said.

Added to this, seasonal produced destined for exportation and processing will receive strengthened cold storage capacity with two freezer trucks and two 40ft refrigerator containers will be procured for $60M for the New Guyana Marketing Corporation.

To support other initiatives of the New GMC such as its planned One-Stop Agri-business incubator for technical and marketing support to agro-processors, an additional $293M will be made available.