RICE Producers Association (RPA) General Secretary, Dharamkumar Seeraj said they welcome the dry weather and now have renewed optimism that they will be able to reach the production target.
He said, with an extended period of sunshine, they would also have the opportunity to do repairs to dams and some work has already begun in the East Bank Essequibo area.
Meanwhile, Deputy General Manager of Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Madanlall Ramraj has advised that a committee, comprising  various stakeholders, has been set up to oversee the repairing exercise.
He said, for the year up to August 24, 68,995 hectares have been sown with paddy, representing approximately 89 percent of what was taregeted.
Ramraj said harvesting has begun on a small scale in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) and Four (Demerara/Mahaica). Farmers in Regions Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), however, planted their crops late and are not expected to begin reaping before the third or fourth week in September.
He said he thinks they are working towards a fairly good crop and he is also optimistic that they will achieve their second crop production of 206,000 tonnes.
With regards to the export market, Guyana has an annual contract to deliver 140,000 tonnes of paddy and 60,000 tonnes of white rice to Venezuela.
So far, 64,000 tonnes of paddy and 21,000 tonnes of white rice have been exported.
Ramraj related that a schedule for continuous shipping to Venezuela will be worked out soon and shipping will resume shortly.