Nov 9, 2026
2 min read
Rice farmers are expected to reap a bumper first crop in 2027, with about 100,000 acres already prepared for cultivation despite El Niño conditions.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said water availability and irrigation remain key priorities in supporting farmers. He was speaking to the media at an open day at the Albion Sports Complex in Region Six.
"Although we are in the El Niño condition now, we have enough water in the conservancies, and we are making irrigation available," he said.
Close to 60,000 acres have been prepared in Region Six, while about 22,000 acres had been prepared in Region Two at the time of his latest assessment. Region Two has a cultivation capacity of about 34,000 acres.
Mustapha said he will convene a meeting with major stakeholders on Tuesday to discuss additional interventions and ensure that available lands are cultivated.
"On Tuesday I'll be calling a meeting with all the main stakeholders around the country to put more intervention or make more intervention in place so that we can have all the land," he said.
He is hopeful the preparations will translate into a substantial harvest, particularly as international market conditions show encouraging signs for rice producers.
"I'm hoping that this first crop in 2027, we'll have a bumper crop. We are seeing the increase in prices for paddy or rice around the world," Mustapha said.
He pointed to developments in Europe and Asia, saying the upward movement in international prices could benefit the local industry.
"When you look at the trend that is happening in Europe and happening in Asia, I think that augurs well for us, augurs well for the rice industry in Guyana," he said.\
