- says Gov’t constructing feed mill, plans to breed larvae to further expand industry
Agriculture Minister, Honourable Zulfikar Mustapha, met with brackish water shrimp farmers from the Corentyne Coast at the Albion Community Centre on Wednesday, where he lauded the progress of the industry, highlighted the substantial achievements of the brackish water shrimp project, and unveiled ambitious plans for expansion.
Since its inception in 2023, the brackish water shrimp programme has emerged as one of Guyana’s most promising ventures in sustainable aquaculture. Minister Mustapha noted that over the past two years, the project has generated significant returns for the region and the country.
While engaging media officials at the meeting, Minister Mustapha said that the programme has evolved over the years, earning a significant amount of revenue for the farmers and the country.
“When we launched this programme, there were approximately 100 farmers involved, most of whom operated on a small, subsistence scale. Today, thanks to the strategic investments and collaboration with shrimp farmers across the Corentyne Coast, the project has expanded tremendously. Before the government’s intervention, shrimp farmers were producing approximately 9,000 kilograms monthly. Now, with the government’s intervention, farmers are producing approximately 98,000 kilograms monthly. In 2023, Guyana earned approximately $1.8 billion from the production of brackish water shrimp. This represents a 49 percent increase when compared to the 548,900 kilograms produced over the same period in 2022,” he noted.
Further, the minister emphasized that the government’s vision for the brackish water shrimp initiative, noting that it extends well beyond short-term gains.
“We have to develop this operation as an industry. This is not just about individual farmers, it is about building an entire industry that is economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and internationally competitive. This is an emerging industry, and we’ve laid the groundwork by providing essential infrastructure. We have machines permanently assigned to prepare ponds for the smaller farmers. This has had a tremendous impact on their production and earnings,” he noted.
To date, approximately $500 million has been invested to develop the necessary infrastructure and procure materials such as tubing to support the expansion of the industry.
Minister Mustapha also said that the success of the Corentyne Coast model will be extended to other parts of the country.
“We’ll expand the programme so that it can become more feasible and less labor-intensive. People in other regions have seen what we’ve done here in Berbice, and they have requested that we extend the programme there, so we are actively working to replicate this project in regions five and two. We are now constructing a feed mill and also looking to breed our own larvae. So, instead of getting larvae from the sea, we’ll have a more controlled system in place. Those are things that we will be doing in our next term to continue the enhancement of the industry,” he explained.
Launched as a pilot to promote sustainable aquaculture, the brackish water shrimp programme has grown into a high-earning initiative with national significance. With strategic government investment, technical support, and regional collaboration, the programme aims to transform Guyana into a regional hub for aquaculture production.
