Sowing progressing but…
RICE Producers Association (RPA) General-Secretary, Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj, has described the pace at which Mahaicony Rice Limited (MRL) is paying farmers as ridiculous. He said the company has made a few small payments to rice farmers and was expected to make more but that was not done and its senior officials are inaccessible.
Seeraj acknowledged that the farmers are understandably frustrated after waiting more than nine months for what is owed them, recently estimated to be at least $200M.
Earlier this month, he had said non-payment and continued delay in the process would be met with strong legal steps and a class action lawsuit is expected to be filed against the embattled company.
In the meantime, Seeraj said rice farmers are depending on good faith and hoping for the best.
He reported that sowing in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) is approximately 70 per cent complete and has started in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara).
Seeraj said on the East Bank of Essequibo, the crop is about three weeks old and about 80 per cent of the rest of the cultivation is in the final stages of land preparation.
He said Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) is far ahead in sowing, with 75 per cent being completed.
The other two rice producing Regions, Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), are engaged in land preparation.
The target for the 2011 Spring crop is four million bags of paddy from approximately 78,000 hectares.