THERE have been concerns over an outbreak of paddy bug in rice fields, following the issuance of an advisory from the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) detailing control methods for the pest.

However, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy was emphatic that there is no outbreak of the paddy bug pest; rather the advisory issued is part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to ensure that farmers are prepared in the event of an increase in the paddy bug population.

“What we are doing is working to ensure that if there is a problem we are prepared and see it early. It can arise, we have to be prepared.”–Dr Ramsammy

“We have an ongoing programme to address paddy bug. What we are doing is increasing awareness. We do not have a paddy bug outbreak,” he said.
Dr. Ramsammy added that the current efforts are aimed at ensuring greater levels of preparedness among rice farmers.
“What we are doing is working to ensure that if there is a problem we are prepared and can see it early. It can arise, we have to be prepared,” he said.
The minister noted too that caterpillars in rice fields are another problem.
“As the weather gets drier we will have this issue. These are always challenges, which is why the rice farmer who in his field paying attention will do well. Advisories like the one for the paddy bug will help people keep on top of the issue,” he said.

HARVESTING
Asked about harvesting of the second rice crop, Dr. Ramsammy stated that some farmers who started the crop early are already harvesting, however, he said that as per the norm the majority of the harvesting will be done during October and November.
“There are also some farmers who planted late and they will harvest in December,” he said.
According to him, the second rice crop is expected to be as large as or even surpass the production of the first crop, which brought in a record 314,000 tonnes.
“We will pass the 600,000 tonnes production target for the year. Our target was 550,000 tonnes, but given the kind of production we are having we will surpass 600,000 tonnes easily,” he said.
On the question of outstanding payments to farmers, the minister stated that only one per cent of farmers remain to be paid in full and all efforts are being made to ensure that this is done before harvesting of the second crop starts.
Dr. Ramsammy highlighted too that Guyana has already exported 300,000 tonnes of rice and the sector is expected to surpass the 450,000 tonnes export target.
“With the contracts signed and shipments to be made, we will pass the 450,000-tonne export target. We are likely to meet 475,000 tonnes or even 500,000 tonnes export,” he said, adding: “We are currently working above world market prices and those are the markets we are in.”
Last year’s Guyana exports came in at 398,000 tonnes. The production for 2013 was 535,212 tonnes, which was far above the original target of 413,000 tonnes, and reflected a 27 per cent increase over the production in 2012. The average production per hectare is five tonnes.

(By Vanessa Narine)