In a strategic move to combat rising living costs, the Antiguan government has announced a significant expansion of its agricultural trade partnership with Guyana starting in 2026. Prime Minister Gaston Browne revealed the initiative during Thursday’s parliamentary budget presentation, positioning it as a dual solution to immediate price stabilization and long-term food security challenges.
The enhanced collaboration will leverage Guyana’s position as a regional agricultural powerhouse, providing Antigua and Barbuda with increased access to competitively priced staple foods. Browne emphasized that this partnership represents a pragmatic approach to addressing global market volatility that has disrupted supply chains and driven up shipping costs in recent years.
‘Our strengthened relationship with Guyanese partners will enable us to import more affordable essential food items directly to Antiguan consumers,’ Browne stated before Parliament. The initiative directly supports the government’s recent suspension of the 42 percent Common External Tariff on selected food imports, which is already anticipated to reduce retail prices within coming weeks.
The partnership will specifically target price-sensitive staples that constitute substantial portions of household grocery expenditures, including grains, vegetables, and ground provisions. This focused approach aims to mitigate the dramatic price spikes experienced during pandemic-related supply disruptions.
Notably, the arrangement complements rather than contradicts the government’s parallel efforts to boost domestic agricultural production. Browne framed the regional partnership as part of a comprehensive strategy that includes encouraging citizens to ‘buy local’ while simultaneously developing more resilient import networks within the Caribbean community.
The Prime Minister concluded that combining enhanced regional trade relationships with strengthened domestic production capabilities would provide economic cushioning against future global market shocks. Parliamentary debate on the 2026 national budget is scheduled to continue next week.