– agri minister
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud told a seminar recently that one initiative being undertaken to deal with the feed and food price crunch is that land is being dedicated to farmers for feedstock production to boost the local livestock industry.
The product initially targeted is rice and the land will not be used for any other purpose, the minister maintained.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, the minister also noted that it is very lucrative to sell Guyana’s broken rice on the international market as it is used to feed persons as far away as Senegal. The broken rice today fetches close to US$430 per tonne, so it’s an economic opportunity to use this byproduct.
Persaud was speaking at a seminar at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) Mon Repos, under the theme “Livestock Feed, Current State of the Industry and Factors affecting availability”. He observed that globally farmers are faced with a feed and food price crunch as a result of the change in consumption patterns, eating habits and lifestyles when persons become more endowed.
Citing another intervention the ministry has decided to put in place he told the seminar about the export quota on broken rice. Based on projections, Guyana will produce close to 30,000 tonnes of broken rice this year, based on the demand.
Participants at the seminar included representatives of the Livestock Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Bounty Farm Limited, Guyana Stock Feeds Limited, Maharaja Oil Mill and the National Milling Company (NAMILCO).
According to Persaud, one of the recent changes seen in terms of food consumption patterns is the use of animal protein. If the consumption of meat has increased the demand for feedstock will likely increase also, he said.
He further noted that globally there is a drop in feed supply and this is further compounded by other factors that affect livestock production as a result of spiralling oil prices. “Taking all of these factors into consideration, they have driven the prices up and with the increase demands at the same time have posed tremendous problems in terms of the availability of feed on the international market. What Guyana is faced with today is what is being experienced around the world,” Persaud was quoted by GINA as saying. He also highlighted that in fighting this challenge the stakeholders must get involved and it must be private sector driven.
Meanwhile, Guyana Stock Feeds Limited Chief Executive Officer Robert Badal disclosed that the industry has increased over the last few years by over 60-70%. He spoke of the factors affecting feed production including cash flow requirements, the international market situation and increases in traditional demands for energy sources.
Badal said further that in order for the livestock industry to become more competitive local production should be increased to cut the price of feed, the oil industry should be rehabilitated and expanded and local production of corn and soya beans should be encouraged, among other options
There were presentations on several areas including ‘Alternative materials that can be used as feed for ruminants’, ‘Supplemental feeding for ruminants’, ‘Alternative feed for poultry and Pigs’ and ‘Alternative feed for fish’.
Livestock plays a vital role in agricultural and rural economies as it produces food directly and provides key inputs to crop agriculture, the release added.
