In the early 1960s and late 1950s rice production boomed t o the point where it was accused of being a “Rice Government and a Coolie government.” The PNC outfit which eventually took office because of a coalition of the PNC and UF coalition in 1964 under the machinations of Anglo-British imperialism went on a deliberate campaign to destroy the agriculture sector because the farmers were seen to be the supporters of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
But it was never a deliberate policy of the PPP to isolate any group of Guyanese. The reality of the Guyanese society was that Indo-Guyanese gravitated towards agriculture because of historical, cultural and practical reasons.
It is therefore not surprising that under extremely adverse weather conditions rice farmers have stood the test of time and consequently rice production for this first crop this year despite the El Nino phenomenon has surpassed production in 2009 reaching 172,000 tonnes compared to 160,0000 tonnes in the first crop last year.
But the cynics and the pessimists in our midst would never give credit to this government for its forward looking and agro-friendly policies.
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud recently confirmed that despite the adverse weather conditions the resilience of the Guyanese farmers has ensured that the rice crop did better than the first crop of last year.
However this has not happened because of some miracle, rather t has been because of the emphasis and positive measures this government has been pursuing ever since its return to office in 1992.
The evidence is there for all to see, because according to the Agriculture Minister in 1992, the total land acreage under cultivation within the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary (MMA) areas was approximately 50 percent, compared to 90 percent at present; and according to the Agriculture Minister, such a facility as the drying floor would be beneficial to farmers and the industry as a whole.
“This region is very important within our renewed agriculture thrust in terms of modernization, and whatever investment and work made here will certainly allow farmers and the sector to grow.”
There are currently 38,000 acres of rice under cultivation in the Abary/ Berbice areas, Abary/ Mahaicony 16,000 acres, and Mahaica/ Mahaicony 8,000 acres.
“The rice industry is very critical to the farmers and the people in Region Five, and we are in fact expecting that this crop will be better in terms of prices and we are seeing an indication of that.”
He said that government is maintaining its objectives of ensuring that farmers are not ripped off by millers and exporters and he urged millers to desist from such behaviour.
Rice production has increased from 160,000 tonnes to a projection of 172,000 tonnes for the first crop, and according to Minister Persaud, it is as a result of Government’s initiatives, and more importantly, farmers’ resilience to handle adversity in difficult times.
However, the minister touched on the very pertinent issue of payment to rice farmers because it has always been a sore issue, but in the present circumstances the rice millers do not have an excuse because rice prices on the world market have been rising,
According to the International Rice Research Instititute Global rice prices started moving upward in November 2009 after months of steadily declining since reaching their all-time high in May 2008. Supply problems in some major rice-producing countries, namely, India and the Philippines, have been the primary reason for this reversal of price trend. Two major typhoons hit the Philippines in late September and early October, causing damage to rice crops on the ground and also in storage to the tune of one million tons. Similarly, the worst drought in India since 1972 is estimated to have reduced the 2009 kharif (wet-season) crop by at least 15 million tons from a total of 85 million tons in the previous kharif season.