Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha on Saturday met with fisherfolk in Berbice where he reiterated that President Irfaan Ali plans to launch an aquaculture master plan and Indian experts will be assisting with its crafting.
Mustapha, who along with a team met with the fisherfolk at the Albion Community Centre on Saturday disclosed that he has since secured three experts from India to assist with the President’s master plan. He said, “I have written to the Indian government asking for technical experts to come in the country to help us, and they agreed that they will give us three technical experts.”
However, he noted, that in the meantime locally they are “crafting ideas and plans on how the industry must be built.”
He stated, “We recognize that we have a good shrimp production in Region Six and other parts of the country, so we want to enhance this shrimp production.” According to him, they were tasked with the responsibility to move shrimp production annually from between 150,000 kg and 200,000 kg to 500,000 kg within the next year.
“So that is why we organized these aquaculture farmers to help them with technical advice, help them to produce fingerlings, help them to get feed because as it stands now they are doing it in a little primitive way… They are not feeding the shrimps, they are not doing any technical aspect of it so we will be working with them”, he said.
Meanwhile, Mustapha said that the committee which was set up by President Irfaan Ali will be chaired by himself, with Pritipaul Singh, Anthony Vieira and others as members. “So all in all I think that this committee will lay the ground work for us to launch the aquaculture master plan by the President.”
On Saturday, the fisherfolk were extremely vocal with the minister and others. Several spoke of the need for machines to carry out works on their ponds as they stressed that most of them cannot afford the equipment like large-scale shrimp and fisherfolk can. The minister noted that the committee will make a list of the needs and they will then meet and look at the best possible option to assist them.
Further, several persons welcomed the support of technical expertise as they hope to be able to increase their personal shrimp production as well.
Meanwhile, Mustapha on Saturday also handed over a quantity of wires to farmers to have an area fenced in the Upper Corentyne area. The farmers had initially requested a specific amount of wires but on Saturday relayed that they would need an additional amount to complete the project. The minister pledged to assist again so as to ensure the project is completed.
