Brackish water shrimp expansion fuels massive growth in aquaculture sector

The aquaculture sector is expected to grow by more than 50 per cent by the end of 2025, as the government continues to invest heavily in agriculture as a key pillar of economic diversification and food security, according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.
Mustapha was speaking as he highlighted continued investments and transformative initiatives in the agriculture sector, aligned with the Government of Guyana’s Policy Agenda for Economic and Social Transformation outlined by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
The minister said the projected growth is largely driven by significant investments in the brackish water shrimp industry, which has seen rapid expansion in production and farmer earnings over the past few years.
“Since the implementation of the brackish water shrimp project, brackish water shrimp production has increased from 9,933 kilograms per month to 129,000 kilograms per month, representing a more than 2,300 percent annual increase from 2021 to 2025,” Mustapha said.
He noted that aquaculture farmers are estimated to have earned approximately $4.8 million as a direct result of the initiative, adding that the sector plays an important role in strengthening the food system while creating jobs and business opportunities, particularly in rural and coastal communities.
Beyond aquaculture, Mustapha pointed to strong overall performance in agriculture, despite the rapid expansion of the oil and gas sector. In 2025, he said the government injected $104.6 billion into the sector, which is projected to expand by 11.3 percent by year-end, contributing at least 23 percent to the non-oil Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He further outlined notable increases in rice, coconuts, corn, soya, livestock, honey, and fruits and vegetables.
The minister said rice production has reached a historic high, supported by government interventions including fertiliser subsidies, free seed paddy, and the introduction of the country’s first free crop insurance programme to protect farmers against flood and drought.
“This is proof that we are not just farming, we are building an industrial engine. By expanding our agro-processing capacity and investing in modern infrastructure, we are ensuring that agriculture directly supports diversification,” Mustapha said.
He also underscored investments in modern agro-processing facilities, food hubs, drainage and irrigation systems, and farm-to-market infrastructure, aimed at positioning the country as a major food-producing and food-exporting hub for the region.
“Guyana is working tirelessly to claim its leading role in hemisphere food production. This mission requires a deeper, more strategic integration with our neighbors in the Caribbean and northern Brazil. We are not merely producing for ourselves, we are aligning our local production system with international benchmarks for quality, market access, and financial stability. We are directly linking our farmers to these regional markets to improve transport, ports, and logistics. This is why our ongoing infrastructure works, from critical drainage and irrigation projects to improvement of farmlands are so vital. We are preparing to be a major food-producing, food-exporting hub for the region,” Mustapha noted.