Guyana has produced 94,000 hatching eggs so far this year, marking significant progress in the country’s efforts to increase production. Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha made this announcement during a community meeting at No. 63 Village in Region Six on Saturday.
Guyana currently imports nearly 53 million eggs annually, costing over $350 million. To reduce this dependency, the country launched a hatching egg production program in 2023 in partnership with private entities, resulting in the production of 27,000 eggs last year at a broiler breeder facility on the East Bank corridor. This facility was established to lessen reliance on imported hatching eggs.
Minister Mustapha highlighted the country’s need for increased local production, stating, “So, at the end of the year, we will produce more. So, you could see how much we have produced already. But that will not be sufficient for us… We are spending a lot of money importing eggs into this country.”
Initially, Guyana produced a substantial number of table eggs, which are unfertilized, before moving into hatching egg production. Mustapha explained that these hatching eggs are currently imported from North America and Brazil. However, supply chain issues and rising import costs have highlighted the need for self-sufficiency. “That is why we have to be self-sufficient, and we are working towards that,” he added.
Looking forward, Minister Mustapha is optimistic that Guyana will soon produce a substantial number of hatching eggs to supply both local and regional markets. The government remains committed to prioritizing the agriculture sector, undertaking numerous projects to boost food production and reduce the region’s food import bill.
