GENERAL SECRETARY of the Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA), Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj, said yesterday the current weather patterns are bad.
In an invited comment, he told the Guyana Chronicle that, added to this, the rice farmer’s biggest problem is access roads.
He explained because of the bad weather, rehabilitation work has been significantly affected and programmes to address the condition of the dams have not been executed.
Seeraj pointed out that harvesting has started in Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam) and similar efforts in Regions Three (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara) and Four (Demerara/ Mahaica) are expected to follow.
In a recent interview, the RPA General Secretary said the regional authorities are being engaged to maximize “good days”, sunny days, to have the dams ready for harvesting.
“Harvesting will be in full swing by the second week in September,” he said.
This year the rice target is 4.2 million bags of paddy, and last crop a bag of paddy went for as much as $3,500.
Also, the current weather patterns are reportedly affecting the flowering stage of the crop.
The flowers do not open for the optimum hours to facilitate pollination when the conditions are overcast, since they respond to the intensity of the light.
Despite the challenges, however, the RPA General Secretary maintained that he is optimistic that this crop will do well.
He pointed out too that Guyana’s commitment to Venezuela is in no way threatened.
Guyana is expected to provide its neighbor with 50,000 tonnes of paddy and 20,000 tonnes of white rice.
Seeraj noted that the second crop should cover this commitment.