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OVERVIEW

• Guyana is located in the northern corner of South America
• It is the only English-Speaking Country in South America
• 83,000 square miles (215,000 sq. km)
• Coastline 430 kilometers
• Climate between 25°C and 29°C
• 80% pristine, intact rainforest cover
• Approximately 737,718 with a diverse culture of six (6) different ethnicities
• 90% of the population lives on the coast leaving the country’s lush interior untouched
• Rainy Season (May-June, Nov-Jan)
• Dry/Hot Season (July-October)
• Hurricane Free
• 40% of Guyana’s land is available to investors.
• Agriculture contributes 27.1% to non-oil GDP
• Trade – 22.5% (US$352.6 M) of export earnings come from agriculture [2019]  Earnings from exports
• Rice – US$ 222.7 M
• Fish – US$ 89.4M
• Sugar – US$ 27.8
• Non-Traditional Agricultural Produce – US$ 12.3 M
• Employment – 12.1% of the Relative Share of Total Employed Population is in Agriculture, forestry and fishing  (Labour Force Survey Q1 2020)

Overview of Guyana’s Agriculture Sector

1. Tropical climate, large expanse of freshwater and vast tracts of productive land (Arable land ~420,000 hectares
2. Guyana produces 59% of food for consumption  (FAO 2015)

Budget 2022 Highlights

Agriculture will be a major anchor of the non-oil economy. Guyana is uniquely poised to take advantage of production and trade opportunities in food products. Guyana is committed to the CARICOM Twenty-Five by 25 initiative, which aims to cut the extra-regional food import bill by 2025. This regional commitment is, in fact, a golden opportunity for Guyana to finally realise its potential as the breadbasket of the Caribbean.

• $13 billion will be allocated to further upgrade the D&I
• $6 billion to support Guysco
• $300 + million in plant breeding, agronomy, plant pathology, entomology and valued-added products
• $20 million for the procurement of seed dryer for Black Push Polder
• $887 million to further advance corn and soya bean production
• $66 million to further expand coconut industry
• $100 allocated to advance the recently launched Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme
• $96.5 million to enhance agro-processing and packaging facilities
• $977.3 million allocated for livestock development
• 7 million will be allocated to support the fisheries and aquaculture sectors
• Monthly Farmers Market- this will help farmers find ready markets for their produce.

Why Invest In Guyana?

• The low coastal plain is flat, highly fertile, and below sea level. The well–established drainage and irrigation system supports the cultivation of rice, sugar cane, fruits and vegetables, dairy and beef production.
• The Hilly Sand and Clay region includes the immediate savannahs of large areas of brown, well-drained soils, which is good for beef, milk, citrus, corn, cashew nuts, legumes, peanuts, soybeans, dairy products, and orchard crops.
• Abundance of land with fresh water supply.
• Political will/ business-friendly environment from the Government.
• Guyana’s climate is very stable in that it is not in the hurricane and earthquake zones.
• Fastest growing economy
• Resource rich country
• Multi-sector opportunities
• Low operation costs
• Ideal location to access global markets
• Attractive Fiscal incentives for investments

Opportunities in Agriculture Sector

Crops

1. Rice
2. Sugar
3. Corn & Soya
4. Coconut
5. Fruits & Vegetables
6. Cocoa and Coffee

Livestock

1. Poultry
2. Beef
3. Small Ruminants- Sheep & Goat

Fisheries

1. Aquaculture

Major Agriculture Sector Incentives 

Fiscal incentives offered for Agricultural investments:

1. Waivers of Import Duty and VAT on a wide range of machinery and equipment for land preparation and cultivation including agricultural hand tools;
2. Tax concessions on Agriculture Investment in Agro-processing Facilities, Cold Storage and Packaging;
3. Waivers of Import Duty and VAT on agro-processing equipment;
4. Waivers of Import Duty on a wide range of agrochemicals (e.g. insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.);
5. Tax Deductible Allowances for expenditures incurred for development and cultivation purposes
6. Concessions for large scale livestock farming.

Government’s Plans for Rice Expansion

1. Increasing paddy production by 70% annually moving from 1 million tonnes to 1.7 million tonnes.
2. Increasing the productive land areas – an additional 72,000 hectares (177,840 acres) of land cultivated twice annually
3. Increasing productivity by developing new varieties – to increase rice yields from 8 to 9 tonnes /ha.
4. Increase the use of modern communication technologies to enhance education of farmers.

Government Support: Rice

1. Waivers of Import Duty and VAT on a wide range of machinery and equipment for land preparation and cultivation
2. Agro-chemical VAT-free & Waivers of Import Duty on a wide range of agrochemicals (e.g. insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.) and;
3. Reversed Drainage & Irrigation and Land Rent fees.
4. 12 Billion (60%) of the Ministry of Agriculture’s budget has been allocated for Drainage & Irrigation works in 2021
5. Vibrant Rice Research program by the Guyana Rice Development Board, Ministry of Agriculture

• Over the past 12 years, 9 high yielding varieties have been released for commercial production.
• Laboratory facilities to test fertilizer quality, soil types being established

Investment Opportunities

• Mechanization of the industry
• Rice production potential in Region 9 where vast Savannah lands are available;
• Increase in storage capacity and milling
  • milling waste to produce energy .
• Downstream processing of rice into pastas, noodles, cereals, snack foods, etc.

Opportunities in Sugar

• Regional market for industrial grade white sugar – approx. 200,000 MT.
• The Guyana market for white sugar is 20,000 MT.
• Guyana benefits from a waiver of the 40% Tariff within the CARICOM region on all sugars related products coming into the region.
• White sugar price averages US$490 per MT vs. brown sugar at US$350.
• Access to a highly trained group of professional in sugar cane cultivation and sugar processing.
• Land for high-grade real estate development in close proximity to the main city (industrial sites, hotel development, residential communities, etc.)
• Land for value-added agricultural development (livestock, cash crop, aquaculture, corn, soya, etc.)

OPPORTUNITIES

• SKELDON-Refinery (industrial grade white sugar, glucose, raw brown sugar), Agro energy, Ethanol.
• ALBION-Agro energy, ethanol, bag raw brown sugar
• ROSE HALL-Ethanol
• BLAIRMONT-Packaged sugar, refined brown sugar, bag sugar
• ENMORE-Packaged sugar
• UITVLUGT-Bag sugar and distillery
• Corn & Soya Beans
• Opportunities in Corn and Soya – Corn and soybean are the major ingredients demanded in poultry feed and fish feed

Government Support – Corn and Soya

• Up to 85,000 acres available in Intermediate Savannah (Ebini)
• Special incentives are available for corn and soya bean producers
• $500 M Road Link in Intermediate Savannah in 2021
• Drying and Storage Facility to be supported
• All taxes and duties on the imports of machinery, equipment, and spares have been removed

Opportunities in Coconut

• World Demand: the global coconut products market is valued at US$ 5.7 billion
• Expected to increase to US$ 9 billion by 2025 (Coherent market insights, 2020)
• Coconut Growth Projections
• The global coconut products Market is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.65% during the forecast period (2020-2025).
• Tap into the US$500 million bottled coconut water industry,
• Expansion and mechanization of coconut estates
• Coconut value added products – flour, milk, desiccated coconuts, virgin coconut oil
• Coconut Waste Management converting coconut waste into green fiber and bio char for soil amelioration and possibly air and water filtration.

Government Support – Coconut

• Free distribution chemicals to help to improve productivity by addressing pest and disease management and fertilization.
• Research and Development Initiatives including production of clean planting materials through embryos and the utilization of coconut by products to produce biochar and potting mixtures;
• Supply of quality and affordable planting materials via the establishment of Coconut Nursery in main coconut producing regions
• National Coconut Sensitization Programme

Poultry – Opportunities

• Guyana is self-sufficient in fresh/ frozen poultry meat products but imports in excess of  US $3 Million worth in processed products annually​
• Increase in demand: local market, tourism coupled with offshore oil sector.
• Maximize profitability through value added product development.
• Excess production can be exported to niche’ markets regionally and internationally.

Beef – Opportunities

• +2 % forecasted growth in global production and exports for 2021
• Halaal Value for meat and milk, for both large and small ruminants
• Production of Value addition products such as minced beef, salted beef and further processing etc.
• CARICOM import for Beef products amounted to US$40.8 Million (2018)
• Commercial production of pelletized Fodder.
• Production of leather from hide.

Small Ruminants – Opportunities

• World ovine meat exports expanded by 6.3 percent to just over 1 Million tonnes (2018)
• CARICOM imports for mutton/chevron products amounted to US$19 Million (2018)
• CARICOM imports mutton and lamb is at 10,343 tons annually from Australia and New Zealand.
• Four major markets for small ruminant meats in CARICOM are The Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados
• Jamaica imported 1500 tonnes
• Guyana imported 13.8 tonnes of mutton valued at G$ 21 Million

Aquaculture – Opportunities

• Develop a commercial-scale aquaculture sector to supply the international market via the establishment of
• Shrimp Hatchery Facility
• Fish and Shrimp Processing Facility
• Feed Production Facility
• Potential Markets: USA, Mexico and the EU.
• The USA imported over 550,827 MT of frozen shrimp and prawns valued at US$4.8 billion.
• Guyana’s comparative advantage is 2.15 times higher than any South American country’s comparative advantage

  Government Support 

• Reversal of taxes on fishing equipment, etc.
• Provision of Technical Support to Farmers, R&D, Extension Services
• Access to suitable lands, and support for Regularizing Land Tenure
• Improved infrastructural support for Brackish Water Shrimp in Region 6
• Exemption from Import Duty on fishing vessels, feed, seed stock, pond equipment and materials, water testing equipment and chemicals
• Exemption from Import Duty and VAT on fish/seafood processing equipment, packaging material and other inputs for processing.
• Tax concessions on Investment in Agro-processing Facilities, Cold Storage and Packaging;
• Waivers of Import Duty and VAT on Agro-processing equipment;

General Incentives to benefit Agriculture

• No VAT on electricity and water
• No VAT on building and construction materials
• The reversal of the policy on used tires
• The reversal of the 8-year limit on used vehicles
• The reversal of high renewal fees for motor vehicle license.
• Removal of 14% VAT on all-terrain vehicles
• Address deficiencies in D&I Systems across the Low Coastal Plain
• Provide farm to market roads in Regions 6 and 5
• Reversal of land lease fees across all sectors and water charges back to 2014 rate, and the reversal of land taxes and drainage and irrigation charges back to 2014

Enabling Environment

• Increase productivity through research and development into new strains of rice and improved pest control methods by the GRDB.
• Restore budgetary support for adequate provision and maintenance of drainage and irrigation systems, and farm-to-market access roads.
• Zoning to minimize conflicts between livestock farmers and rice and cash crop
• Appropriate breeding stock, training, and facilities for cutting, packaging, and storage of meat.
• Technical support provided by NAREI, GRDB, and GMC.