As concerned citizens of this country, we are duty-bound to applaud the efforts by the government to save the current rice crop. Rice is important to us, not only because it is our staple diet, but because of its significance to the country’s economy and the more than 12,000 rice farmers and their families. It is on these premises that we urge all and sundry to come on board and join the monumental task to save the current rice crop.
The people, especially rice farmers, are happy that the government is leading the way in this gargantuan effort to save the rice crop in the Mahaica  River  and at Handsome tree in Region 5, and in Region 2 on the Essequibo Coast. From information received, these areas demand urgent attention, largely because of the fact that while farmers on the Essequibo Coast have already started harvesting their rice crop, harvesting of the commodity would be ready after two weeks in the Mahaica area.
It is therefore, a touch and go situation for rice farmers in these areas, and the timely government intervention must be seen as one of recognition by the administration, of the importance of rice farmers and the rice industry as a whole. We recall that previous PPP/C governments had made several interventions in the past to assist not only rice farmers, but the entire population.
The people remember only too well that when the highly developed countries had warned about shortages and rising prices because of rising crude oil prices sparked by the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, the then Guyana government reduced and/or withdrew duties on some imported fuels. In order to assist farmers and the manufacturing sector for instance, the duty on dieseline was completely withdrawn, while the tax on gasoline was drastically reduced. The government took this decision to cushion the effects of high prices and food shortages.
It was due to these international rumblings, that agriculture was put on the front burner in Regional countries, and the then Guyana President, Bharrat Jagdeo, was charged with the responsibility of having direct involvement in regional agriculture.
Now, with La Nina unleashing its wrath, the Ramotar administration is leaving no stone unturned, and has moved with “breakneck speed” to drain excess rainfall water off the land. All Guyana is heartened to know that saving the current rice crop from destruction as a result of La Nina has become a key priority. We are happy that Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Alli Baksh, was dispatched to Number 10, Mahaica River, and to Handsome Tree  in Region 5 on Wednesday.
The minister and his team made an on-the-spot assessment of the situation as they met with farmers of the respective areas. Having inspected the cultivation areas and openly discussed the situation with farmers, the minister said that a mobile pump to drain water from farmlands and an excavator to aid in dam maintenance would be made available. Interventions such as these are necessary since they are both people and country oriented.
Rice farmers are satisfied that the Region 2 authorities are closely monitoring the situation on the Essequibo Coast. It is good that they too, have taken measures to ensure the speedy drainage of excess rainfall water from the land.
We should mention that our rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast are expecting a super bumper crop of more than a million bags of paddy.
This is indeed good because farmers would be able to cash in on increased prices for Guyana’s rice and paddy on the international and Regional markets.
We refer to the latest rice agreement signed between the governments of Guyana and Venezuela  that has really motivated our rice farmers to increase their acreages under cultivation. We recall that, that agreement which was signed in November last year calls for the supply of 50,000 tonnes of  paddy at US$520 per ton and 200,000 tonnes of rice at US$800. per ton to be supplied to Venezuela.
We cannot afford to lose lucrative markets such as the one inked with neighbouring Venezuela, as our farmers stand to gain since they could also export the commodity directly by themselves, thus getting for themselves a better pay day.