Oct 16, 2026
2 min read
A $1.6 billion paddy drying and storage facility at Onderneeming, Region Two, will give Essequibo Coast rice farmers capacity for 500,000 additional bags per crop, cutting post-harvest losses.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said inadequate drying and storage caused about 16,000 bags of paddy, valued at $64 million, to spoil during the first crop of 2025.
The sod was turned on Friday at a ceremony attended by Junior Agriculture Minister Vikash Ramkissoon, Permanent Secretary Daun Ellis, Member of Parliament Sonia Latchman and Regional Chairman Devin Mohan.
Mustapha said Region Two remains a major contributor to the rice industry, with about 36,000 acres under cultivation and an estimated 1.4 million bags of paddy produced per crop. The region accounted for about 25 per cent of Guyana's rice exports in 2025, but existing infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with rising production, he said.
When completed, the facility will have three storage silos with a combined capacity of 10,000 metric tonnes. Paddy can be preserved for eight to 12 months under controlled conditions, giving farmers and millers more flexibility in timing their sales.
National Drainage and Irrigation Authority Chief Executive Officer Lionel Wordsworth said the project is being developed on 10 acres, with provision for expansion to 20,000 metric tonnes of storage.
It will include two mechanical dryers able to process 900 to 1,000 tonnes of paddy daily, along with receiving silos, wet bins, conveyors, elevators and cleaning equipment. Temperature and carbon dioxide controls will maintain storage conditions, and a centralised system will allow the equipment to be monitored electronically.
4N Hardware was awarded the civil works, while European company Superbrick will supply the engineering equipment and oversee its installation. Completion is expected within one year.
Ramkissoon said the project reflects the Government's continued investment in agriculture, noting that national agricultural allocations rose from about $18 billion in 2020 to $113 billion in 2026.
He said the Government is targeting national rice production of one million metric tonnes by 2030, supported by investments in infrastructure, fertiliser assistance, crop insurance and financing.
The facility is expected to directly benefit 1,400 to 1,500 rice farmers and create jobs in construction, operations, transportation and logistics.
