Mutton A Top Priority For Livestock Sector
Within the livestock sector, the government is making a pronounced play to shift the profitability of sheep and mutton production, into a growth engine. Central to this effort is the introduction of the Black Belly sheep breed (imported from Barbados) under a broader livestock expansion strategy anchored in food-security and export ambition.
Launched in March 2022 in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), the project came with a reported investment of approximately US$3 million (Approx G $600 million) and aims to position Region Five as “the livestock capital of CARICOM”. Officials estimate that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) market imports about 7,900 tonnes of mutton annually at a value around US$48 million.
This move sees to reduce reliance on imported mutton and lamb (largely from Australia and New Zealand), build domestic capacity, capture regional value, and generate jobs. By August 2022, 132 Black Belly sheep (112 ewes and 20 rams) had arrived in Guyana under the initial phase of the breed introduction. The government has also instituted social-inclusion goals with targets like that of 20 % of farms in the program led by women, and 35 % involve youth (aged 35 and under).
An initiative such as this aligns well with Guyana’s broader objective of reducing food-import expenditure, increasing agribusiness value-added activities, and diversifying the economy beyond its growing oil-and-gas sector.
