– Seeraj says 2012 spring crop already started, with 20,000 acres under cultivation
HARVESTING of the autumn crop is winding down, but some fields are still to be harvested in Regions 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) and 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne).
This is according to General Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers’ Association (RPA), Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj, who told the Guyana Chronicle in an invited comment yesterday that sowing of the 2012 spring crop has already commenced in Region 2 (Pomeroon/ Supenaam) with some 20,000 acres already under cultivation.
“We are expecting some rain soon, which will be good for the farmers in Region 2; but the delay is also good for farmers in Regions 5 and 6, who are harvesting now,” he said.
Region 2 farmers have a problem accessing water for their fields, and the central Ministry of Agriculture has assisted the situation by allocating $3M to procure oil and gas for the Dawa Pump Station, to ensure those farmers have access to adequate water.
The following acreages are available for sowing in the rice producing regions: 35,500 acres in Region 2; 14,000 acres in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara); 6,000 acres in Region 4 (Demerara/ Mahaica); more than 70,000 acres in Region 5; and some 47,000 acres in Region 6.
Seeraj contends that the target of 400,000 tonnes this year is reachable, and will be Guyana’s highest ever production.
The last crop, the 2011 spring crop, targeted 4.4 million bags of paddy, but produced 202,077 metric tonnes, or 4,894,270 bags paddy.
The 2010 rice sector production of 360,996 tonnes was a record, but this year’s production of 379,628 tonnes will surpass that record by 4.9 percent increase in value added.

PAYMENT TROUBLE
In regard to millers making payments to farmers, Seeraj stated that farmers are receiving good prices for their paddy: between $3,800 and $4,000 per bag.
Nevertheless, he noted that some farmers are still having trouble with the Mahaicony Rice Limited (MRL), since there are still some monies outstanding.
MRL’s debt to farmers stood at millions, but through interventions by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), a substantial amount of that debt has been cleared.
Seeraj also noted that there are some instances where Alesie Rice Company still owes farmers for paddy it bought at the end of the 2011 autumn crop.
“There are a few farmers who are still owed; but, in general, farmers are getting better prices for their paddy this crop,” he said.
The RPA General Secretary added that, during the 2011 spring crop, prices ranged between $3,200 and $4,000 per bag of paddy.
He explained that the improved prices are largely due to the Guyana/Venezuela rice deal.
“For the first time, we have a signed contract even before the crop starts. So that sets the pace for the pricing,” Seeraj said.

STABLE PRICES
According to the RPA General Secretary, the prices so far are relatively stable, with the Venezuelan markets being Guyana’s most lucrative for rice and paddy.
“Venezuela remains our best market,” he said.
Guyana has already shipped some 160,000 metric tonnes of rice to Venezuela for this year, and at the moment, Venezuela is the largest importer of rice from Guyana.
The current trade agreement, the fourth consecutive one, is valued at some US$48M for the export of 30,000 tonnes of white rice and 50,000 tonnes of paddy, at US$800 and US$480 respectively per metric tonne. Seeraj said, “We are still maintaining our traditional markets in Europe, Jamaica and other Caribbean islands.”
Guyana has exported almost 46,000 tonnes of rice to Jamaica, and more than 20,000 tonnes of rice to Trinidad; while the EU has imported almost 50,000 tonnes of Guyana rice so far for 2011.
The RPA General Secretary maintains that the various interventions and the initiatives have been piloted by the current administration to ensure sustained performance by the sector.
In a recent interview, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy stressed that several interventions have been made to assist rice farmers to bring more lands under cultivation, and outreaches involving both ministers and technical staff are planned to further empower farmers.