62,000-acre agro-industrial development for Berbice to include hemp, tobacco production

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has announced an ambitious plan to develop 62,000 acres of land into an agro-industrial hub spanning from Moleson Creek to the Skeldon belt in the Upper Corentyne.

“We spoke of expanding not just converting GuySuCo but right now we are taking 62, 000 acres of land into an agro industrial complex,” Jagdeo revealed at his weekly press conference on Thursday.

Jagdeo explained that this large-scale initiative will focus on cultivating a variety of crops, including hemp, tobacco, sugarcane, and a diverse range of orchard crops.

“We can process food and export to diversify the economy in Berbice,” the Vice President said.

Already, funding for some of the necessary infrastructure has been secured.

“We have assigned money already for some of the infrastructure, it is in this year’s budget,” Jagdeo said.

Soon, Jagdeo said a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed to commence cultivation on the lands.

This development builds on the 40,000-acre plan Jagdeo unveiled last year. In October 2024, Jagdeo along with Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha engaged with farmers to discuss the government’s initiative to transform 40,000 acres of land in Upper Corentyne into productive farmland.

Then, Jagdeo emphasised that these lands, including privately held areas near Moleson Creek in Upper Corentyne, will benefit from a $2 billion investment in infrastructure to enhance agricultural output.

He had also reassured that former sugar industry workers would be given opportunities for ownership in these ventures, ensuring that they benefit directly from the region’s economic transformation.