DISTRIBUTION of the first 5,000 tonnes of fertiliser procured from Venezuela will begin tomorrow, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy announced yesterday.He told the Guyana Chronicle it will start across Regions 2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam) to 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) after having been offloaded and stored at various locations in the regions.
In Region 6, the storage is being done at Black Bush Polder, Number 56 Village and Bengal, Corentyne; in Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) at the Mahaicony/Abary Rice Development Scheme (MARDS); in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) at the Rice Producers Association (RPA) bond and in Region 2 at Vilvoorden, Essequibo Coast.
The RPA and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) have been tasked with working out the logistics for the delivery to rice farmers.
Through a collaborative programme, developed by the Agriculture Ministry, the GRDB and the RPA, farmers can access to the fertiliser at $5,000 per bag, as compared to the present price of between $7,000 and $10,000.
In addition, while all of them stand to benefit from this venture, small scale farmers will be given priority, Ramsammy said.
Earlier this month, he had disclosed that the shipment arrived and was being discharged at the Friendship wharf, East Bank of Demerara, in readiness to be distributed.
Two consignments
Previously, the minister had said two consignments of 5,000 tonnes of fertiliser each were being arranged, the first was shipped in September and the second to come in March next year.
In July, this year, Ramsammy had travelled to Guyana’s Spanish-speaking neighbour, where he concluded arrangements for the procurement of fertiliser in the form of urea.
He pointed out, then, that the first 5,000 tonnes of urea will only satisfy approximately quarter of the farmers’ needs but he expected that a minimum 50 percent of their requirement would be provided by Venezuela at a reduced price.
In a statement to the media, announcing the arrival of the present shipment, Ramsammy said this will, significantly, boost the agriculture sector, as it would address the production cost of agricultural produce.
“Government has invested much in agriculture but we do have some constraints, one of which is how to deal with the issue of the high price of sourcing fertilisers and pesticides, not only in the direct use of these things to improve production and yields, but also from the perspective of ensuring sustainable environmental practices,” the minister said.
Guyana and Venezuela have had friendly relations for several years and that country is the largest importer of Guyana rice which it has been procuring at preferential prices since the implementation of a joint agreement in 2009.

(by Nadine Sanchara)