The Agribusiness Sector

Guyana has vast potential in the agricultural sector. This sector now contributes approximately 25% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The country is endowed with large tracts of fertile land. Even though below the level of the sea at high tide, the land is protected by an intricate system of seawalls, sea-dams, sluices, kokers, etc. Every year, Government, in collaboration with international funding agencies, spends large sums of money to protect and expand the infrastructure necessary for agricultural development.

The main crops are sugar and rice that are grown on the coastlands. Coconut, our third most important crop, has vast potential for development.

Guyana’s skilled and efficient labour force, competitive wage rates, relatively low production costs, technical support services and preferential access to European, North American and other markets to help make this sector very attractive.

There is a growing demand internationally for juice concentrates. Standard equipment can, with minor modifications, process concentrates from pineapple, West Indian cherry, carambola, guava, malay apple, mango, passion fruit and papaya.

Investment Opportunities

The Government is developing the Intermediate Savannahs comprising 600,000 acres (250,000 hectares) of gently undulating and virgin lands, with good agricultural potential. There are excellent investment opportunities for the production of beef, milk, mutton, citrus, legumes, dairy products, orchard crops and any combination of these.

The main characteristics of the Intermediate Savannahs are:

• 250,000 ha of gently undulating Savannahs, 30 meters above sea level, including over 50,000 ha of brown soils that are well drained, easily mechanised and responsive to fertilisation
• Annual rainfall of 2,250 mm distributed in May-August, and November-January, giving two rain-fed cropping systems
• Readily available labour for agribusiness activities in the riverain communities and nearby townships of Kwakwani, Linden and Ituni
• Great opportunity for the application of high technology, medium/large scale agriculture.
• Free access to appropriate agro-industrial technology through local and regional research and development programmes and international agriculture networks.

Communication Linkages

• The Berbice River is navigable to ocean-going vessels and provides direct access to international shipping.
• A network of unpaved roads and trails link the savannahs to the mining towns of Ituni and Linden, and paved road to the populated coastal region and the capital, Georgetown.
• Commercial passenger airlines fly daily and connect to main hubs in North and South America, Europe and the Caribbean.
• Chartered aircraft from Georgetown's Municipal Aerodrome takes approximately 45 minutes to the heart of the savannahs.

Orchard Crops

Increased world market demand has resulted in an expansion in orchard crop production including avocados, citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, limes and exotic fruits such as mangoes, sapodillas, papayas, pineapples, and passion fruits. These crops attract premium prices in the Caribbean, North America and Europe. Fruit processing offers tremendous scope for investment.

Root Crops

Traditional small farmer crops such as yams, sweet potatoes, cassava and eddoes can be exported to markets in the Caribbean, North America and Europe. In addition, there is a need to supply the local market in support of import substitution.

Herbs and Spices

There is a growing market in the Caribbean, North America and Europe for hot peppers, eschallots, celery and other ingredients for seasoning, all of which grow abundantly in various parts of Guyana.

Fresh Vegetables

Lucrative markets for fresh vegetables can be found in local hotels and restaurants. There is also export potential in the Caribbean, North America and Europe. Crops include cucumber, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, melon, plantain, same, bora, callaloo etc.

Processed Foods

Guyana’s exotic and gourmet food products are in high demand in the Caribbean, North American and European markets. Products for which there is great potential for increased production and export include jams, jellies, sauces, processed spices and fruit puree blends.

Livestock and Dairy Products

There are excellent investment opportunities for the production of meat (beef and mutton), poultry products, milk and milk products including cheese. Medium to large-scale production units are attractive economic propositions for an investor.

Fish and Shrimp

This industry has great potential for further development. The products have traditionally been a source of good protein for local households. With the 200-mile coastal zone, deep-sea fishing has provided local inhabitants with such species as gillbacker, snapper, trout, cavalli shrimp, prawns, etc.

Most of the catch is exported to North America, Venezuela, CARICOM, Japan and Europe. There is tremendous potential for fresh water fish and prawns (the Malaysian type).

The Government is also encouraging the development of aquaculture. With vast expanses of swamp lands, there is tremendous scope for the rearing of species such as hassar and tilapia, including red tilapia, for the local and export markets.

Rice

Good opportunities exist for joint-venture arrangements in the upgrading of milling facilities and the export of rice, which now accounts for 11.5% of GDP. There is potential to use rice to manufacture items such as breakfast cereals for export. Rice production for 1999 was 365,000 metric tonnes.

Sugar

In Guyana, sugar is produced from the sugarcane planted by the Guyana Sugar Corporation, which operates factories at eight locations on the coastlands in Demerara and Berbice. In 1999, sugar production was 321,000 metric tonnes.

Opportunities exist for processing to crystallised Sugar.

Ornamental Horticulture

Cut Flowers - There is tremendous scope for increasing exports to Europe and North America.

Species include anthuriums, orchids, calla lillies, ginger lillies and heliconias.

Foliage items - Crotons, ficus and leather leaf ferns all have market potential in the United States, Canada and Europe.