New Frontier (NF) Agriculture yesterday announced that its farm at Ebini is set to harvest a test crop of approximately 100 acres of corn.
The crop was planted in July and the company said its success paves the way for the possibility of planting two crops next year with current projections for a first crop of 600 acres and the possibility of a larger second crop.
According to a press release from NF Agriculture, Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder, on a visit to the farm last month, expressed satisfaction with the progress being made at Ebini by the company. “I am impressed with the organization of this farm and this product of high quality,” the minister was quoted as saying.
NF Spokesperson, Fabiana Buckley, was quoted as saying, “We are very satisfied with the results of this test crop since it confirms the potential of the agricultural lands here in the intermediate savannahs. We are going to continue to invest in this area as Guyana makes advances in agriculture and other areas.”
All of the corn to be harvested this month has already been sold to local stockfeed producers, the release noted. NF’s short-term goal is to be able to provide all of Guyana’s local stockfeed needs by 2020. In the medium-term, it said it expects to be able to supply the CARICOM market with corn for their stockfeed industry. Beyond that, the long-term goal is to expand to provide exports beyond the Caribbean.
Local residents in Ebini are employed for all jobs on the project, the release added. There is only one foreign family on the farm. According to Buckley, “We are committed to providing employment for residents in the village. As we grow we are committed to supporting the local community and making direct contributions to substance farmers operating in the area.”
NF Agriculture, which began work here in Guyana in 2016, is focusing on high yield, investing heavily in sustainability and using techniques and products that are environmentally friendly. The seeds being used at Ebini are produced using a seed technology that which makes the crop highly resistant to pests which reduces the need for the use of harmful pesticides.
Earlier this year, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between NF Agriculture Inc. and investors of Lucas do Rio Verde, which will see the creation of an Agricultural Village in Guyana’s Intermediate Savannah.
This development will see the construction of a state-of-the-art Research Institute, bioethanol stations, large-scale agricultural production of corn and soybean, banking institutions and many other profitable opportunities for Guyana.
