1,000 acres of black eye peas, red beans to be planted by year end

Plans for the cultivation of more black eye peas and red beans in Guyana are moving apace with the government hopeful that 1,000 acres of land will be used for this venture by year end.

A Facebook post made on President Irfaan Ali’s official account stated that the Head of State and a technical team visited several locations across the country to assess soil type and conditions for these crops.

They visited Tacama, Kimbia, Mara and Moleson Creek.

Asked for details at the sidelines of an event on Friday, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha confirmed that areas in Regions Six and 10 were visited and the government found suitable land for the cultivation of these crops.

“(We) already have investors (and we are) meeting with them this afternoon.

“I think that the process will start shortly, before the end of the year at least 1,000 areas can be under cultivation,” Mustapha said.

Growing these crops, he explained, is part of the government’s plans to meet the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) ambitious food security agenda wherein the bloc hopes to cut its more than US$6 billion annual food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

Previously, Mustapha said the country is preparing to supply the entire Caribbean region with black eye peas.