The Government of Guyana reports that the country plans to export fresh produce to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states within the next 12 months. President Irfaan Ali described the initiative as a new export opportunity for Guyanese growers and a step toward strengthening domestic food security and hinterland agriculture.
"Within 12 months, we will fly food out from the interior, directly into CARICOM countries," President Ali said at the ground-turning event for a new airport terminal at the Bartica aerodrome on the west bank of the Essequibo River. According to Nation News, he stated that improved air connectivity will reduce transport time between inland production areas and export points. He added, "When places become easier to reach, they become easier to grow."
President Ali also said the development should reduce operational costs for operators in interior regions and integrate inland producers more closely into national economic growth. "When Guyana moves, every region must move with it. When the coast advances, the hinterland must advance too, and when development comes, it must come for all Guyanese." The export initiative aligns with the regional objective to reduce CARICOM's food import bill by 25 per cent. He described the plan as "an exciting development and one that is transformative in its nature and character."
The article references a study published in Nature Food reporting that Guyana is the only country among 186 assessed that produces sufficient food to meet domestic nutritional requirements without imports. The study evaluated national production capacity across seven food groups: fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and starchy staples. It noted that 154 countries fulfil requirements for two to five food groups, while only Guyana meets requirements for all seven. China and Vietnam meet in six groups. Countries including Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, China, Macao Special Administrative Region, Qatar, and Yemen do not meet the requirements for any group.
According to the study, more than one-third of countries reach self-sufficiency in two or fewer groups, including 25 countries in Africa, 10 in the Caribbean, and 7 in Europe. Only one in seven countries achieves self-sufficiency across five or more groups, most in Europe and South America.
Guyana's government expects improved air transport infrastructure to support the planned export programme and connect interior production zones more directly with regional markets.
Source: The Voice
