The sugar sector took center stage on Tuesday as Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and Opposition Parliamentarian Vishnu Panday engaged in a heated exchange during the ongoing Budget Debate.
Amid their clash emerged a significant announcement from Mustapha, who presented the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) five-year strategic plan, projecting a return to profitability by 2030. Mustapha outlined plans for extensive mechanization at sugar estates and modernization of factories, aiming to boost production in the coming years.
“This investment builds on substantial progress made over the past five years to stabilize and revitalize the sector,” Mustapha stated, referencing the reopening of the Rose Hall Estate and upgrades to infrastructure at Albion, Blairmont, Rose Hall, and Uitvlugt. He noted these efforts have reinvigorated rural communities that suffered from the industry’s previous decline.
The government has earmarked $13.4 billion for the sugar industry in the 2026 budget, emphasizing mechanization, factory upgrades, and expanded value-added production. This funding is part of a larger $113.2 million agriculture sector budget.
However, the Minister’s optimism was challenged by Panday, who criticized the sector’s performance and attributed its challenges to poor management within GuySuCo. He argued that party loyalty, rather than professional competence, has led to subpar leadership in the corporation.
In response, Mustapha rebuffed Panday’s claims, asserting that his tenure as Agriculture Director ended due to an inability to improve production at multiple estates, including the failure to plant sugarcane at the Skeldon Estate. “Although he spoke at length on sugar, he cannot defend his record,” Mustapha countered, highlighting the discord that ensued over the future of the sugar industry.
As the debate continues, all eyes will be on how these proposed changes and strategic investments will unfold and impact the critical sugar sector in Guyana.
