By Josiah Williams
Guyana is on track to become a significant player in the aquaculture industry, with plans to produce 360 tonnes of prawns by the end of 2024.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali made this announcement during a visit to the Vannamei Prawns Project at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice.
The project, currently in its pilot phase, is operating a few ponds, with full-scale operations expected by June.
President Ali explained that each pond is expected to yield 36 tonnes of prawns annually.
With 10 ponds in operation by the end of the year, the total production is projected to reach 360 tonnes.
“This is the model we want to expand across the country so that we can become a major player in the aquaculture market, the aquaculture market is a 4 billion US dollar market and that is just for the US alone,” President Ali stated.
Each pond is projected to produce 48 million pounds of shrimp per acre annually.
The government is also making significant investments to reduce production costs and maximize profits.
Currently, imported larvae and feed account for 65% of production costs.
With the completion of local production facilities for larvae by August and a feed mill by year-end, production costs are expected to decrease by about 50%.
Madanlall Ramraj, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, confirmed the progress of the project, noting that most of the work on the larvae facility is nearly complete and should be finished by August.
The feed mill is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
The project covers 100 acres and is being developed through a public-private partnership.
Indonesian specialists are guiding the project and training Guyanese workers to take over operations.
These specialists have assured President Ali of the project’s feasibility and its potential for expansion and job creation.
This initiative is part of Guyana’s broader strategy to enhance its agricultural sector and boost the economy through sustainable development.