I AM surprised at the letter published in yesterday’s edition of the Stabroek News titled: ‘Region Two rice farmers having a hard time’.
Whilst I am a small rice farmer now expanding my acreages, I would like to share some views of the sector as an independent individual, to clarify some of the perceptions Indar Bacchus has created which reflect that the government is not supporting rice farmers in Region Two.
I would like to recall only two weeks ago the Minister of Agriculture and a team from the Guyana Rice Development Board meeting with farmers at the Anna Regina Town Council Hall to make payment to farmers, following an intervention by the government to pay farmers.
The sale of the paddy was acquired on behalf of the miller to pay farmers. Those who have benefitted are most grateful for this intervention.
In addition, the Minister at that meeting urged farmers to comply with the mechanism established by the GRDB/RPA to have a paper-trail of their transactions with millers which GRDB/RPA can use to make legal representations on behalf of farmers, in accordance with the amended Rice Farmers Act.
Let us empower the regulatory bodies within the sector to take necessary action against defaulting millers, resulting in fair treatment for rice farmers.
As explained, government intervention is limited in accordance with the law, and farmers need to transact their affairs like businessmen, rather than just deliver their paddy to the millers and wait on payments without any formal contact.
The business of paddy sold to millers is a private transaction between farmer and miller. However, the regulatory agencies can only intervene if the miller breaches a contact breached by the miller, which is catered for in the Rice Factories Act, but us farmers need to cooperate with the relevant authorities to ensure compliance.
As such, farmers themselves need to re-examine their approach to business, whilst I am sure government is willing to assist, farmers need to take responsibility for their actions. It is only when the deal goes sour between farmer/miller then relevant authorities are blamed for a business transaction they were never part of. Numerous assistance was extended to rice farmers and the industry as a whole and it is immoral as Indar Bacchus did to create the impression that government is not supporting the rice sector.
Meanwhile, I would like to urge millers and farmers to get their act together if they are really interested in moving the rice sector forward to be competitive and sustainable. This is the only way for us access premium prices. Let us resolve to be organized and prove the likes of Indar Bacchus wrong.