THE performance of the rice industry continues to improve rapidly with earnings for the first quarter of the year reaching US$41.7 million, about 2.15 times the US$19.3 million which was earned in the corresponding period last year.

This was according to General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Nizam Hassan, during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, on Monday. According to information presented by Hassan, Guyana exported 103,024 tonnes of rice from January-March 2019, more than twice the 49,629 tonnes exported during the same period last year.
Portugal remained the top export destination for Guyana rice with 25,477 tonnes in January- March 2019 followed by Italy 20,848 tonnes; Venezuela 15,105 tonnes; Jamaica 8,883 tonnes; the Netherlands 6,698 tonnes; the United Kingdom (UK) 6,294 tonnes; Panama 5,273 tonnes; Trinidad 5,206 tonnes; Honduras 1,566 tonnes; Greece 956 tonnes; Poland 949 tonnes; Spain 759 tonnes; France 707 tonnes; and others 4,298 tonnes.
Despite the recent challenges pertaining to export to the Jamaican market, there was a notable increase in export which moved from 6,638 tonnes in the first quarter last year to 8,883 tonnes for the same period this year.

There was also an increase in exports to Panama where there were challenges in the past. Exports to Panama were 5,237 tonnes compared to 3,771 tonnes last year.
Export to Caricom countries was netted at US$8.4 million this year compared to US$6.4 million last year, an increase of about 30 per cent.

Export earnings from the European Union increased tremendously, moving from US3.8 million to US$22.1 million.

Meanwhile, export of rice to Latin America decreased but the total earnings increased from US$9 million to US$11.1 million.

No rice was exported to West Africa for the first quarter but, revenue from export to the United States of America was US$26,962.

In 2017, due to an increase in global rice prices, the board was able to enjoy an increase in its export earnings which also saw farmers benefiting from increased prices paid per bag of paddy. Export earnings for 2017 was almost US$200,000,000 as opposed to 2016 earnings which were US$179,000,000.

Hassan attributed the increase this year to the determination of rice producers and millers to meet production targets.

Meanwhile GRDB is on its way to achieving its first crop target of 88,500 hectares. As the first crop draws closer to an end, 83,402 hectares have been harvested, 95 per cent of what was targeted.

According to information from the GRDB, 7.9 million bags of baddy have been acquired so far from the 503,569 tonnes of paddy which were harvested.

In a breakdown of the information, it was shown that 13,222 hectares were harvested in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 7,547 hectares in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 38,225 hectares in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); and 20,847 hectares in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).