Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha yesterday said that efforts are still being made to have the US ban on catfish from Guyana lifted.
He was responding to a series of questions from Shadow Minister of Agriculture Vinceroy Jordan when the National Assembly resolved itself into the Committee of Supply to consider the 2025 budget estimates.
Mustapha stated, “The USA Embassy and the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) are working closely with Guyana to restore the catfish operation. We are continuing to submit the necessary documentation.” The Minister went on to say that this effort to remove the ban is “a significant effort on our part because it is the fault of APNU that the ban was put in place in the first place”.
The ban on Guyanese catfish exports to the US. has been in place since September 2017 due to concerns over non-compliance with US food safety standards. In August 2024, the Stabroek News reported that the U.S. had yet to lift the block on these exports, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. Washington’s Trade Representative, Katherine Tai, had emphasized the importance of meeting stringent food safety standards in her comments to the media. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Stabroek at the U.S. Embassy, Ambassador Tai addressed the issue, explaining that the regulatory hurdles were part of a broader food safety review process rather than an attempt to create a non-tariff barrier. “This process is a food safety exercise, and it should not be seen as a measure aimed at excluding Guyanese catfish due to the country’s size. It reflects our regulatory responsibility to ensure that all imports meet U.S. food safety standards,” she said.
