Rice harvesting in progress on Essequibo Coast – more than 15,000 acres already harvested, yield looks encouraging
A field with ripe rice on the Essequibo Coast
A field with ripe rice on the Essequibo Coast

Farmers on the Essequibo Coast are enjoying the very hot and sunny weather to harvest paddy from their fields. According to reports from the Guyana Rice Development Board [GRDB] at Anna Regina, more than 15,000 acres are already harvested and the yield per acre is average between 36 to 37 bags which is very encouraging. Reports said some 37,000 acres cultivated are expected to be harvested and production is expected to be at some 1.5 million bags.A report from GRDB said farmers are offered $3,200 a bag for Extra “A”, $3,000. for “A”, $2,900. for “B” and $2,800. for “C”. The report said only two mills on the coast are offering less prices.

Meanwhile, the Regional Administration Drainage and Irrigation department is busy ploughing and levelling dams so farmers can transport their paddy quickly to factories after harvesting by trailers, tractors and trucks. Reports said harvesting is in progress at D7, D8 in the Better Success areas, Lima, Henrietta, Perth, Paradise, Walton Hall, Bounty Hall, Devonshire Castle, Somerset and Berks, Richmond and Better Hope.
Farmers in the Cozier area are also busy draining their fields in preparation for harvest. Region 2 Vice Chairman, Mr Vishnu Samaroo said work is in progress on all the access dams in the rice growing areas between Good Hope, Somerset, and Berks so paddy harvested from fields can be moved quickly to factories.
The rice industry on the Essequibo Coast has expanded over the years under the PPP/C Government and production has surpassed the one million bags target per crop to some 1.5 million. Farmers in the industry said they are thankful to the Government for massive investments that has caused the industry to develop. One farmer said he always has to be thankful to the late great leader Dr Cheddi Jagan for his vision to develop the industry so farmers can benefit. He said today not himself alone can purchase a tractor, trailer, ploughs and other equipment to enhance farming, but many other farmers have benefited immensely under Dr Jagan programme and the PPP/C Government and today instead of being loyal to the PPP/C and Dr Jagan ideas, those same farmers that have benefited have turned their backs and cursed the bridge they crossed. The farmer said under the PNC regime the rice industry was down on its knees, fields were left abandoned; production was low that Guyana had to import rice. The drainage network was blocked with weeds and bushes and farmers had to line up for twine and bags. He said farmers suffered and could not have even thought of buying tractors or combines. But under the PPP/C Government, farmers are not buying tractors, combines, and row ploughs alone, they are purchasing the best cars, SUVs and other fancy vehicles and motorcycles. The farmer said life is totally different under the PPP/C Government. He called for all farmers to unite and put the PPP/C Government back in power so the rice industry can develop into a greater industry.

 

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