BUDGET 2026: Drainage and agro-processing lead $113.2B agriculture allocation

The government has allocated $113.2B to agriculture in 2026, with the biggest spending on drainage & irrigation, other crops and agro-processing

Presenting Budget 2026 in the National Assembly on Monday, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, highlighted the major allocations for the year:

• Drainage & Irrigation: $81.9 billion to expand and upgrade critical drainage and irrigation structures nationwide, including pump stations in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and continuation of “Hope-like” structures in Regions 3, 5 and 6.
• Other crops: $3.3 billion for technical support, shade houses, plant protection services, and the Agriculture Information System to provide farmers with timely digital updates.
• Agro-processing: $745 million for new fruit pulping hubs, cold storage and packaging facilities, training of agro-processors, and the Parika agro-processing port facility.
• Sugar: $13.4 billion for mechanised harvesting, replacement of boilers, procurement of cane harvesters, construction of a conveyor system at Albion, additional dryers for Rose Hall and Uitvlugt, and expansion of value-added production.
• Rice: $430 million to improve production, invest in climate-controlled silos, promote high-yielding varieties, and expand trade to Mexico and Europe.
• Fisheries & Aquaculture: $1.5 billion to complete the feed mill and shrimp hatchery, expand cage culture, install vessel tracking devices, and launch a digital seafood market platform.
• Coconuts: $195 million to expand cultivation by 5,000 acres, distribute high-yielding seedlings, and construct a modern facility for processing coconut waste.

Dr. Singh said these investments build on progress made over the past five years, including reopening and upgrading GUYSUCO estates, modernising rice and other crop production, expanding fisheries and aquaculture, and establishing agro-processing hubs to reduce post-harvest losses and promote exports.

He emphasised that agriculture remains central to Guyana’s economic strategy for resilience, with a focus on improving farmer incomes, strengthening food security, and boosting the competitiveness of the country’s agricultural commodities both domestically and regionally.

The 2026 budget continues this trajectory, supporting mechanised farming, agro-industrial development, value-added production, and rural economic growth.