–impressed with farmers’ resilience
AGRICULTURE Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has expressed concern over the fact that rice farmers across the country are still not receiving payment for paddy supplied to millers. He made this disclosure last week during a media briefing in the boardroom of the Agriculture Ministry, where he noted the continuous “pestering problem” and emphasized that the farmers must be paid. 
Ramsammy explained, “I do not expect, as minister, to have to deal with businessmen who do not pay our farmers…I have a special message for Mahaicony Rice Limited (MRL) and Mr. Jaigobin: Too many farmers are not being paid for paddy and rice they took from them…even though the situation is better this Christmas compared to last year’s Christmas, I will be an impatient minister when it comes to the payment of our farmers… Millers cannot use the rice farmers as their bankers, it is unethical, immoral and illegal to use rice farmers as bankers…I hope that practice comes to an end in 2012.”
The Agriculture Minister commended the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the Rice Producers Association (RPA) for their efforts in ensuring that the farmers receive payments, and explained that the ministry is presently engaged in discussions with the GRDB and the RPA to suspend the operating licences of errant millers who fail to pay rice farmers.
As to the significance of this move, he said: “The law must be enforced. If people’s licences must be taken away, then we must do so, and the Ministry of Agriculture will work with the RPA and the GRDB and farmers. We will facilitate the farmers, using the law in our courts so that those who have been not as diligent in payments will now understand there is a consequence.”
Continuing, Minister Ramsammy acknowledged the valiant efforts of the rice farmers in keeping the industry alive in Guyana, and reiterated his commitment to ensuring that their concerns are addressed.
He said, “I will not be patient on this matter, rice farmers will know that they have a minister that will be as impatient as possible.”

Drainage and Irrigation
Dr. Ramsammy also said that the Agriculture Ministry remains cognizant of the fact that the weather can pose a challenge to the sustainability of the rice crop, and he assured that all steps are being implemented to address drainage and irrigation issues.
To this end, he announced that close to four million dollars have been approved to supply the Dawa Pump with fuel, to ensure that the lands in Essequibo are properly irrigated; and efforts are underway in Regions 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne), 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) and 3 (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara) to maintain a balance between irrigation and drainage.
He explained, “We are ensuring two things: that water is being brought through the canal, and the pumps are working to ensure the irrigation systems are working. We are making sure that they (farmers) have the water they need to put land under cultivation. I am impressed by the fact that, throughout Guyana, the rice farmers, despite the challenges, are putting most of the land under cultivation.” According to the minister, more than 90 percent of the lands in Region Two are under cultivation, and more than 60 percent of lands in Regions 5, 6 and 3 are also under cultivation.