Mustapha grilled on GuySuCo mechanisation, GMC probe as agriculture budget approved

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Tuesday faced sustained questioning in the Committee of Supply over the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo’s) push toward mechanisation and the status of probes involving the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), as the National Assembly continued its consideration of the 2026 budget estimates.

Pressed by Opposition members on how mechanisation would affect employment at GuySuCo, Mustapha said the move would not lead to layoffs, arguing instead that the corporation is already battling labour shortages.

In the exchanges, Mustapha maintained that job losses are not part of the plan, saying staffing changes would be managed through attrition while workers are repositioned through training and new opportunities.

He pointed to established training pathways including GuySuCo’s own training school and programmes supported through the Ministry of Labour which, he said, are already upgrading workers to operate heavy-duty machinery and to move into other disciplines.

Attention later turned to the new Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) and probes tied to alleged irregularities involving the sale of items such as eggs.

Asked for an update, Mustapha said the ministry had not received a report and that the matter remained with the Auditor General’s office. When challenged with a media report indicating the Auditor General had completed and submitted an audit, Mustapha insisted he had not received it in his capacity as minister, adding that GMC management had also indicated it had not received a final report.

A separate exchange grew tense when an Opposition member questioned whether several agro-processing facilities were actually operating, suggesting doors at some locations appeared closed.

Mustapha objected, saying the claim was misleading, and responded by citing output figures for processed items from at least one facility (including pepper sauce and seasonings), and by describing a broader national network of agro-processing units. The chair cautioned members to avoid definitive statements that could be incorrect, urging questions to be framed carefully.

Mustapha said government’s agro-processing push is continuing, including budgeted support for operations and expansion.

In another segment, the minister was challenged on how official projections for rice production were calculated.

Mustapha defended the forecast by pointing to rising yields in recent years, the introduction of new varieties, and measures such as improved canal systems and new fertiliser inputs. He said the government’s ambition extends beyond the stated projection, aiming for even higher production over time.

The Committee’s consideration included multiple line items linked to agriculture and drainage and irrigation works. In one exchange on D&I allocations, Mustapha cited a multiyear/retention component and noted a shift toward procuring mobile pumps to address vulnerabilities and delays associated with fixed pump stations.