Irish Potato Trial in Guyana

A 90 day (Irish) potato trial in Guyana is currently in its eighth week and is showing positive results. 

The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the World University Services of Canada, Caribbean, (Guyana) Incorporated, collaborated to cultivate five different varieties of Irish potatoes on a quarter-acre plot in Little Biaboo, Mahaicony Creek. The project is being implemented and funded by the Government of Canada through the Promotion of Regional Opportunities for Produce through Enterprises and Linkages (PROPEL) Project. The pilot project at Little Biaboo started in the latter part of January and is expected to be harvested at the end of April. 

The varieties of potato cultivated are Spunta, Kennebec, Chieftain, Bristol Pride and Shepody, with the Bristol Pride showing excellent yield and growth rate.

On Tuesday, a fertilisation and harvesting practical session was carried out, demonstrating procedures for caring for the potato crop to farmers.

Chief Executive Officer of NAREI, Dr Oudho Homenauth, said this was a successful trial of Irish potato cultivation. He noted that a similar project was carried out at Laluni on the Soesdyke-Linedn Highway but, the exercise failed due to flooding.

Dr Homenauth said that since there are signs of success, it is only a matter of time before similar projects are rolled out in neighbouring communities.

The possibility of successfully cultivating potatoes along the low coastal plain had almost been ruled out given that the region is prone to flooding. The land on which the trial is being conducted has been altered to avoid flooding.

Bhagwan Persaud, the farmer on whose land the pilot project is being facilitated, said that he is interested in expanding the production of the potato crop. The farmer said that potato was never cultivated in the area and could be another major crop coming out of Little Biaboo.