WITH harvesting  already  completed in Regions 2, 3 and 4, but still ongoing

in Regions 5 and 6, and should be completed by the end of this month all indications are that this year seems set to be another record- breaking one for the rice industry. Last year, an unprecedented 400,000 tonnes of rice was produced and according to the General- Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers Association (GRPA), Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj, barring unforeseen circumstances, rice production for 2012 should exceed last year’s record- breaking production.
Exports also are going according to schedule, with Venezuela currently being Guyana’s largest importer of rice and paddy, Seeraj disclosed; but he noted that rice is also exported to Europe and other Caribbean countries.
This is indeed great news for the industry and is an indication that we are moving closer to being among the world’s largest producers of rice and therefore commendations are in order for the managers of the rice industry, millers, the Ministry of Agriculture and of course the resilient farmers.
It was not an easy road to get rice production to this point, bearing in mind when this government assumed the reins of government in 1992, the rice industry was on its knees and could have collapsed because by then there were only about 23,000 rice-growing families compared to 45,000 in 1964, the last year of the PPP government prior to 1992. There was also The Great Flood which wiped out thousands of acres of rice, which not only inflicted severe wounds on the rice industry, but caused severe financial hardship for the affected farmers.
However, through sound agricultural policies, programmes and projects and tremendous emphasis on drainage and irrigation and agricultural infrastructure, the rice industry returned to its former glory under the current government.
Seeraj further revealed that the first crop of 2013 is likely to be one of the largest. The land is currently being prepared for that crop, but the industry expects to encounter a problem dealing with irrigation issues. Seeraj explained that rice generally does best in dry weather, providing that irrigation water is available.
He advised that the pump stations in rice-growing areas, particularly in Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne), will provide irrigation water to farmers, while other areas will be supplied from the conservancies.
This issue is a particularly important one because rice farmers need irrigation water, but the rains are not coming and who knows we may be heading for a drought and if that happens the next rice crop could come under severe threat, in which case rice production could be seriously curtailed which would trigger the associated adverse effects.
On this note, it is also most encouraging to learn that the government has continued to demonstrate its commitment to agricultural development and to the welfare of farmers, as  a two-door sluice is currently under construction at East Black Bush Polder, Region 6.
The $417M project, which is being constructed by Rupan Ramotar Investment, also encompasses a canal and two pump stations to effectively drain the popular cattle- rearing and rice-growing area.
Flooding indeed, has been a challenge to several agricultural communities and it is good to see that tangible efforts are being made to tackle it.
Black Bush Polder is perhaps Guyana’s largest agricultural community and therefore it has to be given all the necessary support so that it can continue to flourish and contribute to increased agricultural production.
This agricultural scheme, a brain child of the late President, Dr Cheddi Jagan was built from snake-infested swamps and today it is probably the largest agricultural scheme in the English-speaking Caribbean.