Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha yesterday promised drainage and irrigation (D&I) services to private cane farmers in the Upper Corentyne area, as he sought to encourage them to return to cane cultivation.
While promising to address the farmers’ concerns, Mustapha, who met with farmers at Skeldon and Albion, said that in the meanwhile systems can be put in place which can be beneficial to both GuySuCo and the private cane farmers. “But the main issue is to get you back into cultivation and how we should do that,” he said. “We are committed to our side of the agreement.”
He reminded that when the cane farmers were encouraged to go and start cultivation, the current government said that it would remove the corporate tax on the loans. “I want to reiterate our position that we will be keeping that end of the bargain,” he added.