CULTIVATION of the present rice crop has commenced in Region 2 and farmers are being paid bounced cheques for paddy sold to some unscrupulous rice millers. Farmers and small producers are exploited to the extent of extinction in this region; but no one will gain if this should happen.

In this era the unscrupulous rice millers are the dominant and authoritative components in the rice industry, the rice farmers during this oppressive period are consistently caught in an inescapable net of exploitation.

However, during this period the Rice Factories Act is not protecting the rice farmers as it should, the farmers are toiling under harsh and back-breaking methods of production and they need money to go back to the lands. At present the rice farmers can hardly escape the vagaries of the rice millers. There is therefore need for intelligent and skilful policies to be implemented to facilitate the urgent payment for rice farmers.

One of the visions for the rice industry of Guyana was to increase the income and ensure prompt payment of small rice farmers which would have resulted in an improved quality of life. The Ministry of Agriculture, GRDB, and RPA should work assiduously to have unity among farmers and millers, since this is the way forward.

We as leaders will have to work on the foundation of the agriculture sector of our country.

The analysis of rice farmers’ costs indicates that many producers were at least breaking even with their production cost at the current paddy price. However, some farmers were not recovering their total costs. Farmers depend on the input suppliers and banks provide to them with the necessary agro-inputs and working capital to produce paddy so they need their payment to off set their expenses in order to get more loans.
MOHAMED KHAN
Former Extension Officer