$50M budgeted to begin ‘breeder programme’ to produce hatching eggs – Min. Mustapha

As government advances its efforts to establish a productive hatching egg industry to support the nation’s already expanding poultry sector, some $50 million has been set aside for the project this year.

This was disclosed by Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, during the Guyana Livestock Development Authority’s (GLDA) poultry symposium, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Friday last.

“We have $50 million that has been budgeted to start the breeder programme, so that we can produce our own hatching eggs, so that we can bring down the cost of hatching eggs, rather than importing it into the country, we can produce it right here in Guyana,” the minister stated.

Guyana currently spends about $350 million importing 52 million eggs per year.

However, the Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali–led Administration has embarked on and executed various programmes to ramp up food production nationwide, specifically in the poultry sector, in keeping with the county’s aggressive food security agenda.

This year, the government will be investing in a broiler breeder facility which will reduce the dependency on the importation of hatching eggs.

“The government has been providing incentives in priority areas of agro-processing, coconut, corn and soya beans, beef, and more importantly, poultry production. We are looking forward to being a net exporter in poultry production,” Minister Mustapha added.  

To produce corn and soya for the manufacturing of feed to support the sector, the government has begun collaborating with several poultry producers in consortiums.

The agriculture minister pointed out that these visionary initiatives which are transformative will help to propel the economy.

In March 2022, President Ali made it clear that his government will work with communities like St Cuthbert’s Mission to be part of the massive hatching eggs project.

This, he said, will ensure there is sustainable production locally and eventually for the export market.