Guyana’s aquaculture industry is on track for a major jump in output this year, with Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha reporting that production is projected to increase by more than 50 per cent by the end of 2025.
Mustapha, in outlining the government’s agriculture agenda, said the sector’s performance reflects a deliberate push to expand non-traditional food production while creating stronger income opportunities for farmers and fish farmers.
“Aquaculture production is expected to increase by more than 50 per cent by the end of 2025,” the Minister said, pointing to the brackish water shrimp project as the main engine behind the projected rise.
The Minister disclosed that since the implementation of the shrimp initiative, monthly brackish-water shrimp output has climbed from 9,933 kilograms to 129,000 kilograms, representing an annual increase of more than 2,300 per cent over the 2021–2025 period.
“Since the implementation of the brackish water shrimp project, production has increased from 9,933 kilograms per month to 129,000 kilograms per month,” Mustapha said, as he argued that targeted investments are now translating into measurable production gains.
Beyond output, Mustapha said the expansion is also putting money into producers’ hands, estimating that aquaculture farmers earned more than $4.8 million from the brackish water shrimp project.
The Agriculture Minister linked the aquaculture push to broader efforts to strengthen food security and create a more diversified agricultural economy, saying the administration intends to keep backing initiatives that raise productivity and improve sustainability in the sector.
“We will continue to invest, utilising technology to ensure higher productivity [and] reduced cost of production,” Mustapha said, as he signalled that aquaculture remains a key area for growth alongside other agriculture sub-sectors.
