Agriculture Minister,Zulfikar Mustapha, delivered the keynote address at the 28th General Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Millers Association on Tuesday at the Pegasus Suite, underscoring the vital role millers play in shaping the region’s future food security.
Speaking under the theme “Navigating Global Shifts: Inflation, Tariffs, and Market Opportunities in a Changing World,” Minister Mustapha emphasized that the Caribbean’s heavy dependence on external grain markets has left it vulnerable to global shocks.
He told participants that it was time for regional players to shift from being price-takers in global markets to becoming price-shapers in a more integrated and self-sufficient regional economy.
Minister Mustapha reaffirmed Guyana’s leadership in the regional initiative to reduce the food import bill by 25% by 2025 +5, stressing that achieving food security requires strong value-chain collaboration.
Highlighting Guyana’s ongoing modernization efforts, he pointed to NAMILCO’s G$10 billion investment in a new processing mill, expanded wheat storage, and upgraded port infrastructure, along with the Government’s partnership on cassava flour development.
“As we build capacity for alternative flours, Guyana is positioning itself as a supplier not only to domestic markets but to the wider Caribbean,” Minister Mustapha stated.
He further noted that inflation, trade barriers, and logistics remain pressing challenges, and assured that the government, through the CARICOM Ministerial Taskforce on Agriculture, is working to remove non-tariff barriers and create a more predictable environment for millers. (Ministry of Agriculture-Guyana)
