By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News |
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Reinforcing its status as the agricultural engine of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Guyana has presented the latest comprehensive performance assessment of the regional food security agenda before the 127th Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED).
The report of the Special Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security was formally tabled by the Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Vickash Ramkissoon, acting on behalf of the Task Force Chairman, Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha.
Covering the six-month review window from January to June 2026, the data demonstrates significant production expansion and surging intra-regional trade, with Guyana single-handedly accounting for more than half of all agricultural volume recorded among reporting Member States.
Mid-Year 2026 Production Baselines: Guyana Leads Regional Yields
According to the bi-annual audit submitted to regional trade and agricultural ministers, Member States that submitted verified production metrics generated approximately 1.4 million tonnes of food output during the first half of 2026:
- Regional Target Benchmark: The 1.4 million tonnes represents 42.3% of the full-year agricultural production quota established across the reporting territories.
- Guyana’s Domestic Output: Guyana posted the highest production volume across the Caribbean basin, generating 792,012 tonnes—achieving 42% of its ambitious domestic target for 2026 and constituting approximately 56.5% of total regional output.
- Target Delivery: The mid-year figures confirm that despite unseasonal weather fluctuations, primary production remains generally on track to achieve annual yield projections across grains, root crops, fruits, vegetables, and livestock.
Trade Trajectory: Intra-Regional Commerce Surges Past US$870M
The COTED review also reflected measurable momentum in trade liberalization and cross-border food shipments between CARICOM partners from 2023 to 2024:
- Overall Extra- and Intra-Regional Exports: Total agricultural export earnings from selected reporting Member States grew from US$1.93 billion in 2023 to US$2.04 billion in 2024. Within this category, Guyana’s total agricultural export revenues climbed from US$375.4 million to US$402.3 million.
- Intra-Regional Trade Growth: Commerce conducted exclusively between Caribbean nations expanded rapidly, rising from US$748.4 million in 2023 to US$870.3 million in 2024—representing an injection of nearly US$122 million in inter-island commodity flow.
- Guyana’s Regional Market Penetration: Underscoring its role as the primary supplier to neighboring islands, Guyana’s intra-regional agricultural exports escalated from US$89.8 million in 2023 to US$120.1 million in 2024, representing an increase of more than 33%.
Structural Headwinds and the 25% Import Reduction Target
Notwithstanding these gains, the Ministerial Task Force report was clear that significant structural bottlenecks must be resolved if CARICOM is to satisfy its overarching mandate to slash the regional food import bill by 25%:
- Persistent Vulnerabilities: The assessment identified acute operational risks, including climate-induced weather anomalies, chronic disruptions across maritime shipping and supply routes, escalating costs for fertilizers and animal feed, rising regional transport tariffs, and widespread shortages of agricultural labor and specialized technical talent.
- The “Vision 25 by 2025+5” Framework: Member States continue to adjust implementation timelines under the expanded CARICOM Vision 25 by 2025+5 (extending into 2030), calibrating tariff regimes, non-tariff barriers, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) protocols to accelerate regional preference.
Strategic Interventions: Digital Platforms and US$1.2M Korean Partnership
To overcome logistical and climate obstacles, Minister Ramkissoon outlined several collaborative initiatives currently being advanced across the community:
- Regional Electronic Agricultural Market Information System (e-AMIS): A synchronized digital market platform designed to provide real-time price discovery, yield forecasts, and cargo availability to connect buyers and sellers across Member States.
- Germplasm and Genetic Strategy: A harmonized regional framework governing certified planting material and high-yield genetic resources to safeguard seed security and disease resistance.
- US$1.2M South Korea Partnership: A proposed US$1.2 million technical cooperation initiative supported by the Republic of Korea, targeting climate-smart farming resilience, enhanced ocean governance, and the modernization of Caribbean artisanal fisheries.
Commending the stewardship of Task Force Chairman Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, Minister Ramkissoon reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to spearhead the policy mechanics, logistics hubs, and agro-processing investments required to insulate the Caribbean from global food supply shocks.
