$2B to aid farmers to cushion input costs

Farmers across Guyana are set to benefit from a $2 billion fertiliser subsidy, as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to enhance the agriculture sector and reduce input costs.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali made the announcement during a community engagement at the Hydronie Market Tarmac in Parika on Friday. He explained that the funds will be disbursed in the coming days to ensure that every acre of farmland receives one bag of fertiliser.

“We are going to transfer, within the coming days, that $2 billion in fertiliser subsidy to ensure that for every single acre of agriculture, we are going to give one bag of fertiliser,” President Ali stated.

The Head of State reminded attendees that only weeks ago, the government disbursed $2.7 billion directly to rice farmers to ensure they received at least $4,000 per bag of paddy when international market prices collapsed.

“Point to one other country that would have intervened in such a way when the market prices collapsed,” he remarked.

Since assuming office, the current administration has implemented a series of initiatives aimed at improving agricultural productivity and supporting food security. These include direct cash transfers, subsidies, and infrastructure development.

“This has been our effort continuously since we came into office. And that is why, my friends, when you look at the numbers, between 2020 and March 2025, almost two million tonnes of rice were exported from Guyana, valued at more than US$1 billion,” the President said. (DPI)