Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha recently told farmers in the Upper East Bank Berbice Area that government is increasing its attention to the coconut industry which has massive potential.
Mustapha relayed that over the last four years his government has increased coconut cultivation by 6,000 acres countrywide.
Speaking to farmers in Highbury, East Bank Berbice, Mustapha said, “We are putting a lot of effort in the coconut industry, right now, I will be giving six farmers high yielding coconuts, we are bringing high yielding coconut from Brazil and Costa Rica and we want to rehab and revitalize the entire coconut industry.”
The Minister said that one coconut in Guyana gives about 300 milliliters water while the high yielding coconuts which the ministry is importing are estimated to produce 400 – 475 milliliters of coconut water. “If you want produce water, it will give you the coconut water, if you want produce oil if will give you the oil…”
Mustapha stressed that the coconut industry is a very lucrative one, “you can make a lot of money from coconut”, adding that the government will continue to work to improve the industry.
In January, 2024, the coconut sub-sector received a boost with a budget allocation of $78m, as was announced by Finance Minister Ashni Singh.
In his budget presentation to the National Assembly then, Singh noted that since returning to office, the government has been actively working on the development of the coconut industry, resulting in the cultivation of 31,500 acres of coconut farms. To further support the growth of this sector, the government established 10 additional coconut nurseries across the country, providing essential support services to areas that were previously underserved.
In 2023 alone, he said, the coconut industry saw significant progress. A total of 40,000 seedlings were produced, while 13,000 high-yielding coconut seed nuts were imported to improve coconut productivity nationwide. In addition to these initiatives, an additional 1,274 acres of land were cultivated for coconut production, and 297 farmers received specialized training to enhance their expertise in coconut farming.
Building on the success of the previous year, the Finance Minister had said, the government is committed to further accelerating coconut production in 2024.
This, he explained, would be achieved by investing in 39,000 high-yielding seed nuts and targeting the involvement of 500 additional farmers in the coconut industry. This strategic focus on expanding the number of farmers involved in coconut farming will contribute to both economic growth and job creation within the sector, he noted.
Singh had added that the government will continue to explore opportunities for converting coconut waste into valuable and sustainable value-added products. This initiative aims to maximize the utilization of coconut resources, reduce waste and create new revenue streams for farmers and businesses within the coconut sub-sector.
He asserted that the budget allocation of $78 million for the coconut sub-sector in 2024 reflects the government’s commitment to the development and growth of this industry. By providing financial resources and promoting sustainable practices, the government aims to foster the expansion of coconut production, increase productivity, and enhance the economic well-being of farmers and stakeholders involved in the sector, he had added.
