Record rice harvest for spring crop despite La Nina
AGRICULTURE Minister Robert Persaud has reported that Guyana has reaped a record spring rice crop, despite the challenges of La Nina weather conditions earlier this year. The target had been set at 4.4 million bags of paddy but the production was 4,894,270 bags, surpassing the last recorded highest first crop, of 4,689,138 bags, in 1999, he said.
Mr. Persaud said the yield in 1999 was 365,469 tonnes but, in 2010, it dropped to 361,527tonnes.
He said the increased produce is a return on the massive investments made in the sector, especially in the areas of drainage and irrigation (D&I) and research. The total 2011 allocation for agriculture was $9.1 billion.
Persaud said, with the expansion of agricultural lands and greater demand to cultivate more, an increased number of pumps, construction and rehabilitation of key D&I structures and access roads, improvement in the discharge capacity and flood control performance in farming and vulnerable areas have become necessary.
He added that other support measures include investing in institutional strengthening, capacity building, credit facilities, better physical infrastructure and the upgrading and enactment of legislation for the efficient operation of the plant, animal and food safety agencies.
Persaud said they are yielding results and, fortunately, at a time when Guyana can benefit from the supply and demand dynamics on the international markets, with food prices at an all-time high.
He lauded the resilience of farmers and other stakeholders within the industry and called on all to continue working together to transform and modernise the sector. (VANESSA NARINE)