Agriculture Minister, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, on Tuesday, met with a group of farmers from Anna Regina and surrounding communities on the Essequibo Coast in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council’s office to discuss the expansion of onion cultivation in the region as the Government continues efforts to boost local production and reduce the country’s food import bill.
Following the major success of the onion pilot project in Region Nine and in keeping with CARICOM’s “25 by 2025 +5” Initiative aimed at reducing the regional food import bill by 25 percent by 2030, the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Agriculture, has engaged more than thirty-five farmers from Region Two to commence cultivation.
During the meeting, Minister Mustapha disclosed that the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has already commenced soil sampling on lands identified for onion production.
“Several samples have already been taken. The officers will take more samples on Wednesday. Once the soil is suitable for the cultivation of onions, we will provide the technical support and the planting materials to help with the initial cultivation. We already did the germination tests, and those seeds are ready, so for the plots where samples were collected and are deemed suitable, sowing will commence over the weekend,” Minister Mustapha said.
The Minister explained that technical teams from NAREI will work closely with the farmers throughout the cultivation process to ensure strong yields and proper crop management.
“We have to ensure that all the systems are in place to get proper yields. Extension officers from NAREI will guide you on how to properly manage the crop. In about 120 days, this crop will be ready for the market. You do not have to worry about the market for your crop. We already have a ready market for you,” he stated.
Approximately 48 acres are expected to be cultivated by the end of next week as part of the initial phase of the regional project.
Minister Mustapha noted that the initiative follows the highly successful four-acre pilot project executed in Region Nine, which yielded more than 2,600 bags, or approximately 40,000 kilograms, of onions. The success of that project has generated significant interest from farmers across the country as the Government moves towards its target of cultivating 200 acres during the next crop cycle.
The onion expansion project is among several major agricultural initiatives being implemented under the President Ali-led Administration as Guyana continues to advance regional food security efforts while creating new opportunities for farmers and strengthening the country’s agricultural diversification agenda.
