Rice farmers getting more from Spring crop harvest
RICE Producers’ Association (RPA) General Secretary, Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj has reported that farmers have begun receiving better prices for paddy reaped in the current Spring Crop.
With harvesting underway in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), he said the planters are being paid between $3,600 and $4,000 per bag, with the higher price being for A+ Grade and $3,700 for Grade A.
But Seeraj remarked: “There is too much disparity between the prices for the different grades and we are hoping that the divide is reduced. Most of the farmers have Grade A rice and so the millers are putting the $4,000 price on what is largely not available.”
Still, he remains optimistic of the farmers securing even more increases.
Seeraj said rainfall continues to pose some challenge, particularly as it relates to the conditions of access dams from the fields.
He explained that last Friday was bad for the reapers on the Essequibo Coast because access dams were in a bad state, making it difficult for the transportation of produce.
However, Seeraj said there have been no losses in any of the other rice producing regions, Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), Four (Demerara/Mahaica), Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).
He said the Spring harvest is expected to yield 4.4 million bags of paddy from the acreages sown, 14,000 hectares in Region Two; 1,000 in Region Three; 3,000 in Region Four; 28,000 hectares in Region Five and 19,500 hectares in Region Six.
Meanwhile, Seeraj reminded that Mahaicony Rice Limited (MRL) company is expected to make some substantial payments, tomorrow, to farmers owed some $200M for more than one year now.