Agriculture is a major export earner for Guyana and employs roughly 17% of the labor force.   In 2021, the agriculture sector contributed approximately 19 percent to non-oil GDP.  The GoG views agriculture as important for the diversification of the economy.  The GoG is working to revive sugar production and is making significant investments to boost rice, corn, and soybean production. 

The GoG views investment in agriculture as critical for addressing food security and diversifying the economy away from oil and gas.  Guyana’s tropical climate and topography allows production of crops that differ largely from those grown in the cooler climates of the United States.  Guyana’s large amounts of arable land, favorable climatic conditions, proximity to the United States and access to CARICOM markets makes it an attractive investment destination for potential investors. 

Subsector Best prospects

Equipment

Guyana’s agriculture sector utilizes some heavy equipment and there are opportunities to supply processing and harvesting equipment.  Current commercial agriculture practices are not technologically driven but opportunities exist for the integration of sophisticated technologies including GPS, robotics, and precision agriculture systems.  However, when bidding on equipment tenders the embassy has noted an opaque tender process that limits the attractiveness of investing the time and effort needed to bid on tenders.

Aquaculture

Guyana has attractive conditions for a dynamic seafood and fisheries industry.  These include a long Atlantic coastal area and an extensive network of rivers.  The United States is the primary market for most seafood exports.  Guyana enjoys vast fishery resources in the Atlantic Ocean, both in its coastal areas and its Exclusive Economic Zone, an area equivalent to 64 percent of the country’s landmass.  This area contains highly productive marine fisheries, producing prawns, shrimp, and a variety of commercial fish.  On shore the GoG is exploring the potential  to integrate fish farming with rice production.  Through the Ministry of Agriculture, Guyana is exploring production of Tambaqui, Red, and Nile Tilapia to export within the Caribbean market.

Livestock development 

The GoG is actively courting investments into the production of meat (beef and lamb), poultry products, milk, and milk products for both domestic consumption and export to the Caribbean.  Guyana’s savannahs provide a favorable environment for free range cattle grazing, though cattle rustling is a challenge, transportation is difficult, and processing facilities are limited.  Guyana is, as of the date of this report, certified as foot-and-mouth disease free, providing it with favorable access to many markets.  Additionally, the GoG is courting public private partnerships to develop dairy processing facilities and modern slaughterhouses.  Opportunities exists for development of a supply chain services for the dairy industry such as transport, processing, packaging, and storage.  Cold chain management is in its infancy in Guyana.

Large Scale Commercial Cultivation of Horticultural Crops, Fruits, and Vegetables

Guyana offers a favorable climate to produce oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, limes, mangoes, manilkara zapota, papayas, pineapples, and passion fruit.  Due to a lack of infrastructure exporters must be able to establish modern post-harvest handling and quality check systems to prevent spoilage in transit and meet international phytosanitary controls.  Additional value can be achieved by shipping selected fruits to destination markets by air, ensuring maximum freshness.  The GoG has designated large tracts of land free of agricultural chemicals, providing a unique opportunity to meet a growing demand for organic products in North America and Europe.  Organic cocoa, pineapple, and heart of palm are already being grown for export and can be scaled up to increase capacity, though consistency in products can be lacking and would require specific investments.  Guyana’s ability to supply international markets is currently hampered by the time required to transport its products to market.

Value-Added Processing

Guyana has an abundance of fruits and vegetables which do not make it to market due to a lack supply chain logistics and value-added processing, like canning or drying fruits, which would prolong their shelf life.  As Guyana’s energy costs decrease and value-added industries become more economically feasible, investors should explore opportunities to market Guyana’s abundant and high-quality produce to international markets.  Again, the high cost of electricity is a notable barrier to value-added processing.

Opportunities

Opportunities in Guyana’s agriculture sector are diverse across the supply chain and the GoG is aggressively courting investments into the sector.  There are tax concessions available for ag-focused investors and barrier free access to the CARICOM market allows for an immediate and attractive market. 

Resources

Ministry of Agriculture:  https://agriculture.gov.gy/

Guyana Rice Development Board: https://grdb.gy/

New Guyana Marketing Corporation:  https://www.newgmc.com/

National Agriculture and Research Extension Institute: https://agriculture.gov.gy/narei/

Guyana Livestock Development Authority: https://agriculture.gov.gy/glda/

Guyana Office for investment: https://goinvest.gov.gy/